Phone Destroyer: Into the Digital World
by Lord Candycane
Summary: Everyone in South Park is abuzz when a new version of Phone Destroyer is released, one that allows the player to enter their phone and contains a secret prize for whoever gets it first. It's a race against time as players traverse landscapes and battle one another to gain possession of the prize. But does this game have a more sinister purpose than meets the eye?
1. Intro

_So, in light of how I'd previous done a story based on South Park: The Fractured But Whole, I decided I'd try my hand on their other game, Phone Destroyer, which I'm surprised there aren't more of, considering all the opportunities it provides. Here's hoping I strike gold with this one, too._

* * *

**_Phone Destroyer: Into the Digital World_**

* * *

Kenny McCormick could feel his heart thumping in his chest as he placed the Barbie doll before the clerk at the store.

The clerk checked the cost for the doll. "That'll be $8.00, sir," He informed the young, parka-wearing boy.

Shuffling through his pocket, Kenny pulled out a $5 bill that he'd managed to acquire over the weekend. He placed it on the clerk's desk, then went back to rummaging through his pocket, pulling out any number of quarters and nickels that he'd saved up for the past few weeks. He counted through them carefully, adding them up so he knew he hadn't missed a cent, before placing them next to the bill.

_Please let it be enough, _he pleaded in his head.

The clerk took the money Kenny had given, looking through them and counting them up. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he looked down at Kenny and nodded.

"Alright, you're good to go," He said, passing the doll towards Kenny.

The boy felt his eyes widen in shock and joy. He couldn't stifle a "Woohoo!" before he had quickly grabbed the Barbie doll off the clerk's desk and sprung out the door. Kissing the doll on the cheek, he rushed down the sidewalk towards his home at the SoDoSoPa.

_She'll be so happy, _he thought.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" A snooty voice asked.

Kenny froze in his tracks as he looked up from the doll to see three 5th grade girls leering down at him, blocking his path. He stepped back, somewhat intimidated.

"What's a boy like you doing with a nice, pretty doll like that?" The first girl, who was wearing a red cap, asked, her hands on her hips.

"(None of your business,)" Kenny retorted through his parka, clutching the doll close as he attempted to walk through the girls. As he did, however, the girl wearing a gray hoodie wrenched the doll out of his grasp so hard it jerked him around.

"(Give it back!)" Kenny shouted, getting on his toes and trying to snatch it from her. She tossed it over his head to the overweight girl with the blue bandana.

"This doll is much too good for a dump like you," The girl sneered, throwing it to the girl with the red cap.

"What would he even want with a Barbie doll?" The girl in the hoodie asked.

"Probably to fuck it and pretend it's his girlfriend," The girl in the cap mocked.

At that moment, Kenny sprang forward, slamming his head into the girl's stomach. She doubled over in pain, dropping the doll as she clutched her stomach. As Kenny reached down to grab it, he was kicked in the back by the girl in the bandana.

"Piece of filth!" She shouted in a rage.

Kenny sprang around and punched her in the face, causing her to stumble backwards, clutching her bleeding nose. Before Kenny could react, he was struck in the temple by the girl in the hoodie. Letting out a pained gasp, he collapsed onto the ground.

The girl in the hoodie heaved violently as she stood over him. Shooting her leg out, she kicked Kenny into the side of the building. His pupils shrank as he felt his body connect with the wall.

Then, his vision went dark, and his body slumped onto the ground as he was engulfed in blackness.

* * *

When Kenny awoke, it was still bright outside. He felt the need to check his body, feeling around to make sure he was alright.

_Huh, _he thought to himself. _Not dead. Neat._

Looking around, he saw that the girls, as well as the Barbie doll, were gone. His fingers curled onto the snow as he felt a flurry of anger and disappointment flood his brain.

"(Fuck!)" He shouted, his voice muffled. And after he'd gone through all that trouble just to get that doll.

She would be so sad. But there was nothing he could do now.

With a heavy sigh, he picked himself up off the ground. His hands in his pockets, he somberly continued on his way home, his head lowered.

After what seemed like an eternity, he made it to his house. When he opened the door, his saw his father, Stuart, lounging about on their torn-up couch, watching the news.

"Where the Hell have you been?" He asked in a gruff tone, not even bothering to turn around and visually acknowledge his son. He chugged down a shot of whisky before nonchalantly chucking it into the wall behind him.

Kenny sucked in a deep breath, looking down. "(Nowhere, dad,)" He grumbled out.

Stuart scoffed and continued watching the news. Kenny felt his eye twitch as he walked past him, avoiding the broken bottle shards that lay shattered on the ground. Storming up the stairs, he headed to the room of his siblings.

His older brother, Kevin, was sleeping at the end of the room. Their younger sister, Karen, sat up in her bed, her knees tugged together tightly. She looked up as she saw Kenny enter.

Her eyes widened in shock when she saw Kenny's bruised face. "Kenny, you're bleeding," She whispered, keeping her voice low so as to not alert their parents.

"(It's nothing,)" Kenny reassured her as he took his seat next to his sister. "(Um, Karen, I have some bad news.)"

"What is it, Kenny?" Karen asked, leaning her head against his shoulder.

Kenny breathed heavily. "(Remember that Barbie doll you wanted, after the other one was broken?)" He asked, placing his arm around his sister.

"Yeah," Karen whispered.

"(Well, I tried to get it, but. . .)" He started, but trailed off.

That was enough for Karen to understand. "Oh," Was all she said, pressing her head into his chest. Her hand tightened against Kenny's jacket, and he could feel her start to sniffle.

"(Hey, it'll be alright, Karen,)" He attempted to reassure her, even though he knew it was futile. It had been hard enough to scrape together enough cash just for that Barbie doll, and he had no idea how long it would take until he could get enough to try again.

"I'm sorry, Kenny," Karen whispered, struggling to hold back tears. "It's just. . . I have trouble sleeping without something to hold onto."

Kenny nodded as he slid his hand through her hair. It was true; Karen was often scared to go asleep at night unless she had her doll. He didn't blame her; between the homeless people who shuffled outside their house at night, not to mention the rats that scurried through the house and the constant creaking of the floors, even he was often afraid to close his eyes. He tried to hide it from Karen, though.

"(Hey, Karen, I know things seem hard now,)" He said, trying to comfort himself as much as her. "(But things will get better, someday. Hopefully.)"

Setting Karen down onto the bed, he quietly left her room, his own words echoing in his head.

_Would _things get better? After all, this had been his life ever since he had been born, and no matter how many times he died and came back, it showed no signs of changing.

He only wished there was a way it could.

* * *

"Come on, come on," Stan said as he surfed through the internet on his computer, Kyle sitting next to him.

"Hey, you guys found anything good yet?" Eric Cartman asked, lounging lazily on Stan's bed, flinging some chips into his mouth.

"We're trying, fatass," Kyle retorted, shooting a glare at Cartman over his shoulder. "It's not like we can just magically find out what the latest game is. Not to mention where it is and how much it costs."

"It would be easier if it weren't for these stupid ads," Stan grumbled, deleting multiple advertisements that popped up on his screen. However, one of them caught Kyle's eyes.

"Hey, Stan, wait!" He called out, raising a hand to halt his friend's rapid clicking. "Click on that one."

Stan raised an eyebrow, but clicked on the ad, allowing it to pop up and fill the screen.

"Cartman, come here!" Kyle called out. "Check it out!"

With some effort, Cartman pulled himself out of the bed and headed over to Stan's desk. "What is it?" He asked, annoyed at having to get up. However, his eyes widened when he saw the advertisement on the screen.

_**Did you enjoy South Park: Phone Destroyer? If so, this is for you.**_

_**Enjoy the latest addition to this awesome game that can transport you (yes, you) into your phone and experience an all-real, all-digital adventure.**_

_**All you need to access this game is an iPhone and a pair of special Ubisoft headphones distributed at a store near you. Once you have these, plug the headphones into your phone, put them on, and you'll be transported into a world beyond your own.**_

_**Inside your phone, you'll be able to transverse fantastic landscapes, switch card costumes and abilities at will, and interact with and battle other players to decide who the game master is.**_

_**But the real treat for players is a key hidden within this very game. Whoever can brave the odds and acquire it will be able to grant any wish they desire, and make it true.**_

_**Do you have what it takes to make it through Phone Destroyer and achieve your one true desire? If so, then this game is for you.**_

_**See you in your phone, and may the best player win.**_

". . . That is so cool!" Cartman shouted, slamming his fist onto the desk. "We have to get it! Now!"

"I can't wait to tell the others!" Stan said, only to Cartman to nudge him harshly.

"Idiot, you can't let our friends know about this," He berated him. "All that'll do is increase the competition inside the game."

"Well if we found out about it, it won't be long until Craig, Wendy, and the others do," Kyle pointed out.

Cartman stroked his chin, deep in thought. "You have a point, there," He said. "In that case, we have to act fast. Come on, guys, we gotta go get ourselves those headphones before more people enter the game! Come on!"

With that, the three headed out the door towards the nearest store.

* * *

_First chapter up. Read and review._


	2. Start Game

_South Down: Since I only had one chapter left (which is now completed), I decided I would go ahead and start my next story early._

_Warknight216: I haven't played any of the games, so I don't really have a New Kid character._

* * *

The first thing Stan, Kyle and Cartman did was stop by the Broflovski residence to pick up Ike; Kyle didn't want to start the game without him. Then, they had headed to the nearest store.

Once they got there, they were dismayed to find a line-up of people already there, many of which were their schoolmates. They were even more horrified to find that nearly all of them were at the store buying the very thing they themselves were after.

"No!" Cartman shouted as he saw DogPoo head out of the store, a pair of Ubisoft headphones in his hands. "These assholes can't enter their phone before us! They can't get the prize before us!"

They rushed in, grabbing the first headphones they could find, and headed to the counter to pay for them. "Come on, come on," Stan said as they all placed their dollars on the counter. The cashier took the money, loaned them their change, and handed them back the headphones. Once they had them, they rushed out the store.

"Alright, we gotta get to my house before we put on the headphones," Kyle told them. "We can't put them on outside, otherwise we'll just collapse out in the open. Anyone could just come in and rob us blind."

"Wait, isn't there somebody else we're forgetting?" Stan asked.

Before any of the other boys could answer, Kenny strode over to them, a confused expression on his face. "(Hey, what's going on?)" He asked. "(Why is everybody buying these headphones?)"

"Of course you're the last to find out," Cartman scoffed, earning him a scowl from both Kyle and Kenny. "A new version of Phone Destroyer just got released. It allows the player to go into their phone and enter a digital reality. You just need these headphones to do it."

"(Really?)" Kenny asked, excited. "(That sounds kickass!)"

"That's not even the best part," Stan added. "There's a key hidden in the game. Whoever finds it will be able to make any wish they want and have it come true."

Hearing that caused Kenny's eyes to glisten. "(Anything they wish for?)" He asked, as if he hadn't heard correctly.

"Uh-huh," Kyle said. "We were gonna enter the game at the same time. You gonna join?"

"(Sure,)" Kenny said. "(I'll just get my iPhone and. . .)" Suddenly, he trailed off.

"Kenny, what is it?" Stan asked. Then, realization sunk in for him and the others.

"Oh, right," Kyle said, dismayed. "You can't afford the headphones."

Kenny exchanged glances with them, a desperate look in his eyes. "(Can you buy another pair for me?)" He suggested.

"We kind of spent all our money just to get these ones," Stan explained, holding up his headphones. "We'd go and ask our parents for more, but time isn't really on our side. Every second, more people are entering the games, and we can't be the last ones or. . ."

"(Oh,)" Kenny replied, disappointed. His shoulders slumped and he placed his hands in his pockets. "(I understand,)"

"It's nothing personal, Kenny," Kyle tried to reassure him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "When we get the key, I'm sure our wish will benefit you, in some way."

Kenny humphed. With a sorrowful glance, he turned and headed off.

The other boys watched him leave. "Dammit," Stan whispered, truly disappointed. "Not again."

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now," Cartman said, shrugging casually. "Come on, let's get to Kyle's house. I got a wish to make." He began to head off, but stopped and turned around to see Stan, Kyle and Ike staring at him suspiciously.

"What?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Cartman," Kyle said, a stony tone in his voice. "Before we go any further. . . our wishes are going to be _compatible_, right? Because it says only one person can get the key and make the wish."

Cartman scoffed. "Come on, you guys, you really think I'd make a bad wish?" He asked. "Don't you know me at all?"

That just caused all three boys' glares to darken even more.

Cartman furrowed his eyebrows. "Alright, fine, if that's how you're gonna be!" He snapped. "You think I need you assholes to win the game? I'll just get more _trustworthy_ teammates!" With that, he headed off in the opposite direction.

As he left, Stan turned to Kyle. "Hey, Kyle, are _our _wishes gonna be compatible?" He asked. "Like, if one of us got the key, whatever wish you or I make would be something we'd both agree upon?"

"Whatever wish either of us make, it'll definitely be more compatible than anything Cartman would wish for," Kyle replied. "In fact, making sure he stays as far away from the key as possible should be our #1 priority!"

"Eh, I think my #1 priority is us not being the last people to enter the game," Stan said. "Let's get to my house now!"

"Right," Kyle said. "Come on, Ike." Taking his younger brother by the hand, the three of them headed off for Stan's house.

* * *

If there was one thing Kenny cursed more than his inability to die, it was his poverty.

In fact, it was part of what made his immortality so unbearable; if he lived in a half-decent home, dying wouldn't have been so bad, since he got to return to a happy life. Instead, every time he was given a brief escape from his miserable life, he would be brought right back to it. There truly was no end to his suffering.

He wasn't even all that broken up about not being able to play the game; it wouldn't have been the first time his lack of money had gotten in the way of his fun. It was that that game had actually given him hope that there would be a chance to reverse his living conditions.

Stan's words echoed in his mind._ Whoever finds it will be able to make any wish they want and have it come true._

Was that true? If it were, that meant that if he could succeed in getting it, he'd be able to make a wish. And there was nothing he wished for more than for his family to _not be poor. _He didn't even care about being as rich as Token; simply living in an average income home would be enough.

He could only imagine what it was like living in a house like Clyde or Craig's. There, they could shower every day instead of once a week; they had enough toothpaste to brush their teeth twice a day; they had more than a couple pairs of clothes that quickly ran out. He'd imagined what that would be like more times than he could count; if what Stan had said was true, getting that key meant he could live it.

And not just him, but his brother and sister, too. Karen in particular did not deserve to live the kind of lifestyle she did. She deserved a hopeful future. He'd do anything to give her one.

As he entered his house, passing his parents, who were passed out drunk on the couch, and headed towards his siblings' room, that was all he could think of. As he creaked open the door and caught sight of Karen, sleeping soundlessly in bed, it overtook his thoughts.

Karen deserved a better life than this. And his poverty be damned, he would make sure she did.

It didn't matter how; he had to get into the game and get the key.

No matter what.

* * *

"Alright," Cartman said, pacing back and forth, his arms folded behind his back as he eyed his allies. "You have been chosen because you are the best, the elite, the most accomplished gamers in town. With me as your leader, we shall enter our phones and conquer the game. We shall no doubt face many enemies, but no matter what, we will crush them! And then, the key will be mine! Any questions?"

Scott Malkinson raised his hand. "Did you really choose us because we're the best, or because we're the only ones who'll follow you?" He asked. Butters and Dougie sat by his side on Cartman's bed.

"I don't recall asking for your opinion!" Cartman snapped at him. "Come on, you guys aren't gonna last a minute in this game by yourselves! You need each other, and more importantly, me, if you want a chance of getting the key!"

"Well, I'm not that interested in getting the key," Butters said. "I just want to have a fun time playing with my friends."

"Look, we're wasting time," Dougie said. "The other kids are probably already in their phones right now."

"The ginger's right," Cartman said. "We can't spare another second! Now, all of you, plug the headphones into your phone, and then when I give the word, we'll put them on."

The other boys complied, plugging the headphones into their iPhones. "Now, get ready," Cartman said, hovering the headphones over his heads. The other boys copied his movement.

"Set. . ."

The boys had an anxious look on their faces as they steeled themselves to put the phones on.

"Go!" Cartman shouted.

As soon as he spoke, Butters snapped the headphones over his ears. Once he did, his pupils shrank and he collapsed onto the bed, paralyzed.

". . . Hey, you didn't put on your headphones!" Dougie accused Cartman, who indeed was still holding them above his head.

"Neither did you assholes!" Cartman retorted. "I needed to see what would happen before I tried it."

The boys hovered over Butters' body, examining him closely. His eyes were closed and his mouth was hanging open. "What happened to him?" Scott asked.

"I think his consciousness has been transported into the phone," Dougie suggested. "His physical body is still here, but his mind is in the game."

The other boys exchanged glances, as if silently considering his words. "Well, I guess there's only one way to find out," Cartman said, sighing deeply. Sitting down, he took the headphones and placed them over his head, Scott and Dougie doing the same.

Closing his eyes, Cartman inhaled and closed his eyes.

Then, he put the headphones on.

* * *

"You boys be safe in your phone, okay," Sheila told Kyle, Stan and Ike as the boys sat on Kyle's bed, their headphones plugged into their phones.

"We will, mom," Kyle reassured her. "Don't worry."

"Look after your brother while you're in there, alright, bubba?" Sheila said. Kyle nodded, and she closed the door, leaving them alone.

Kyle turned to look at Stan, who had a conflicted expression on his face. "What's wrong?" He asked.

Stan shrugged. "I dunno," He said, his shoulders slumped. "It's just. . . it sucks Kenny won't be joining us. The game's just not the same without him by our side."

Kyle nodded understandably. "Yeah, I know," He said. "But we don't really have a choice. When we're done, maybe we could fill Kenny in all the things we did."

Stan couldn't help but feel that would only make Kenny feel worse. Nevertheless, he said, "Well, what are we waiting for? We gotta enter the game before Cartman does."

"Yeah," Kyle said. He, Stan and Ike raised the headphones and hovered them over their heads. They all took a deep breath as they prepared themselves for what came next.

They put the headphones on.

* * *

_Read and review._


	3. Inside the Phone

_South Down: Well here we go, then._

* * *

For a moment that seemed like an eternity, all three boys were plunged into darkness.

As soon as the headphones were placed on their heads, what felt like a surge of electricity flooded their brains. Shock coursed through their bodies, and for a split-second, it was like they were falling through an endless void.

And then, it was over.

For a few moments, all three boys remained with their eyes shut, as if fearing what they would see if they unveiled them. Stan was the first to open them, fluttering them for a few seconds before widening them completely. Once he did, he saw they were in the middle of town.

"Kyle?" He said, nudging his friend. "Kyle, open your eyes."

Kyle did as Stan said, opening his eyes and looking around. He looked confused for a moment, then a little disappointed.

"Are. . . are we in the game?" He asked, surveying his surroundings. "Is this Phone Destroyer?"

The town looked like the one they lived in, but at the same time, there was something _off _about it. Kyle walked over to one of the houses and placed a hand on the wall, trying to see if it was really there. It felt solid, like an actual building.

Even so, the boys could tell they weren't in South Park anymore.

It was then that Stan felt something in his pocket. Pulling it out, he saw his phone, and on it, a picture of himself as a Native American. His Stan of Many Moons card.

"Kyle, Ike, look at this," He said, calling them forward. They gathered around by his sides as Stan swiped through the phone, causing it to show multiple different pictures. One of Poseidon Stan, one of Program Stan, one of Stan the Great, and one of Toolshed.

"Well?" Kyle asked.

After a few moments of deliberating, Stan swiped back to the picture of Program Stan and tapped on it. As soon as he did, he was enveloped by a flash of blue, causing Kyle and Ike to divert their eyes away from him. After the flash disappeared, Kyle and Ike hesitantly looked back at Stan, and their eyes widened in shock at what they saw.

Stan was no longer dressed in his normal brown coat and blue hat. Instead, he was in his Program Stan form.

"Holy shit!" Kyle blurted out in shock.

"Woah!" Ike exclaimed.

Stan took a moment to look down at his arms and body, which were now covered in black with blue stripes. Then, he grinned.

"Neat," He said, impressed as he placed his phone back in his pocket. "So we are in the game."

Kyle and Ike quickly followed suite, whipping out their phones. In moments, Kyle was now Gunslinger Kyle, and Ike was Scout Ike.

"Alright, so we're officially in the game now," Program Stan said. "Now then, where are the other gamers-"

"H-Hey fellas!"

The three boys whipped around in the direction of the voice. Standing on the sidewalk a distance away stood Jimmy Valmer, but he didn't quite look like himself. Instead of being dressed in his normal clothes, he had a brown coat on and a cross around his neck.

"W-What's going on?" Friar Jimmy asked.

"Jimmy, you're in the game, too?" Program Stan asked as he, Kyle and Ike rushed over to him.

"Not just m-m-me," Jimmy replied.

At that moment, a familiar voice shouted, "TIMMY!" and the boys looked around to see Timmy Burch, in his Pope Timmy form, wheeling towards them.

"We just got here," Friar Jimmy explained. "We were waiting for more of our pals to show up."

"Um, out of curiosity, how many other people are here?" Kyle asked.

"Quite a few, I think," Jimmy said. "Some are still here, but others have spread out further. Think they may be looking for the key."

All three boys' skin went pale. "Well, shit," Stan whispered. "Um, we were planning on doing that, too. Is there any way you can help?"

"Sure thing, fellas," Jimmy replied happily. "Follow me."

* * *

Not too long afterwards, the three boys were following Jimmy and Timmy to South Park Elementary. Or at least, the digital version of it.

As they headed towards it, they noticed several familiar faces nearby: DogPoo waved at them from on the playground a distance away; Officer Barbrady was scolding a few jaywalkers across the street; the Goth Kids were lounging about on school grounds, smoking.

"Why are we here?" Kyle asked as they entered the school. "I mean, it's not like we're gonna find the key in here."

"Wouldn't want people eavesdropping in on us," Jimmy explained. "You never know who may be listening in on us outside."

Walking through the hallway, they passed by Mr. Mackey in the counselor's office, writing something down in his notebook. "Hey, kids," He said as he saw them pass by. "Have fun, m'kay?"

"Sure thing, Mr. Mackey," Kyle replied before the boys continued onward.

Eventually, Jimmy and Timmy led them into an empty classroom. "Alright, here's a good place we can talk," Jimmy said as they all sat down in the empty desks.

"Alright, Jimmy, what is it you want to tell us?" Kyle asked, leaning down on his desk.

"Alright, fellas," Jimmy said, beckoning the boys closer to him. "While I was here, I heard a couple of the girls talking. Apparently, there's a map that tells the location of the key."

"Really!" Stan exclaimed, causing Kyle to shush him. "Where is it?"

"It's. . . hidden in a small cave," Jimmy said. "In the sea, sort of near the town."

"What are you talking about?" Kyle asked. "There's no sea near South Park."

"There is in _this _version of South Park," Jimmy clarified. "It's near where Stark's Pond should be."

"Well in that case, how are we gonna get there?" Stan asked.

"TIMMY!" Timmy cried out.

"That's a good idea!" Jimmy agreed. "Timmy could turn into a Pirate Ship and send you there."

Stan and Kyle exchanged glances. That _was _one of Timmy's card abilities.

"Well then, what the heck are we waiting for?" Stan asked. "Let's go, before someone else gets the map first!"

The other boys voiced their agreements and began to set off. As they did, they didn't notice a small figure, hovering outside the open window, watching them.

"Teeheehee. . . dumbasses," Cupid Cartman whispered as it flew away from the window and towards the woods. Soon, Sheriff Cartman, Paladin Butters, Powerfist Dougie, and Scott Malkinson appeared from their hiding spots.

"Alright, anything to report, Cupid Me?" Sheriff Cartman asked.

Cupid Cartman hovered near the larger Cartman's ear, whispering into his ear. The other boys couldn't see Cupid Cartman, but they did see how Cartman's grin grew.

Eventually, Sheriff Cartman turned to the other boys. "Alright, guys, there's a map that can lead us to the key, and it's located in a cave across the sea!" He exclaimed to them. "Get ready boys, we're gonna go on a pirate hunt!"

"But Eric, you don't have a pirate card," Paladin Butters pointed out.

"Who gives a shit?" Cartman asked. "Now come on, we got to get that cave before that sneaky Jew and the others do!"

With that, Cartman headed off in the direction of Stark's Pond, the other boys following suite.

* * *

In the (real) South Park, Kenny was on his knees, his head bent in front of Theresa's legs.

"(You like that?)" Kenny whispered.

Theresa grinned, her head leaning backwards as she gazed up at the sky. "Yeah," She breathed. "You sure know how to use those hands of yours."

"(I've had tons of practice,)" Kenny replied slyly.

"You sure aren't lying," Theresa said, her smile growing. "I don't think any guy before has done a better job than you."

"(And. . . finished!)" Kenny said, standing to his feet. "(Those shoes won't be coming off any time soon.)"

Theresa raised her foot up and admired her newly-tied shoelaces. "Good work," She said, impressed. "I was having such a hard time tying them myself. Anyways, a deal's a deal. Here." She handed Kenny $5.

"Sorry I couldn't give you more," Theresa apologized. "This was the best I could do."

At that moment, a female voice called out, "Theresa! What are you doing back there?"

"Nothing, mommy," Theresa replied timidly. Quickly, she headed back towards her trailer, er, tiny home, vanishing through the door, leaving Kenny alone with the dollar bill.

Kenny looked down at the bill and sighed. Even with this meager amount of money, it still wasn't enough to get him those headphones. And with all the people who were entering the game by the minute, there wasn't much people left to get money from. Still, unwilling to give up, Kenny headed off, hoping there was someone else around who could use their shoes tied.

He hadn't gotten far when a boy blocked his path. It was Nathan.

"Hello, friend," The disabled boy said, his eyes squinted in Kenny's direction. "What are you up to?"

"(Um. . . nothing,)" Kenny replied, confused. What was Nathan doing here? What did he want?

"I take it you're looking for those new Ubisoft headphones, am I right?" Nathan asked, smirking when Kenny's eyes widened in response. "They are pricey."

"(Yeah,)" Kenny replied, his shoulders slumping.

"Well fear not, friend," Nathan said, his voice as cool as the wind. "For I have what you want." As he finished talking, he produced a pair of Ubisoft headphones.

Kenny's eyes widened. "(Holy shit!)" He exclaimed, eyeing the headphones. "(These are mine?)"

"They're yours, friend," Nathan said in a faux-friendly tone, handing the headphones over to him. "Don't worry; you don't need to give me anything in return."

Hesitantly, Kenny took the headphones. "(Why?)" He asked.

"Just a gift," Nathan replied. "From a friend. See you in the game."

Kenny looked down at the headphones, then at Nathan, then back at the headphones. Finally, he exclaimed, "(Thank you!)" Then, he rushed off in the opposite direction, desperate to get home as fast as he could.

Nathan watched him run off. As he did, a grin grew across his face.

"No," He whispered maliciously. "Thank you."

* * *

Kenny couldn't believe it. For once, his luck had changed for the better.

He burst into his house, not even acknowledging his parents as they screamed profanities at him for shocking them with his entrance. He just rushed up the stairs and towards his siblings' room.

Kevin was too busy downing a bottle of alcohol to notice Kenny's entrance, but Karen immediately sprang up to great him. "Hi, Kenny!" She said, rushing into his arms.

Kenny pulled his parka off his head, exposing his golden hair. "Karen, I've got some great news," He said, speaking clearly without his parka. "I'm gonna be gone for a bit. Well, not really, but regardless, I'll see you soon."

"Where are you going, Kenny?" Karen asked.

"In here," He said, lifting up his iPhone for her to see.

Karen's face scrunched up in confusion, but Kenny didn't bother to explain. "Karen, I just want you to know I love you," He said. "If this works out. . . when I come back, your life will be a better one." He planted a kiss on her forehead, and then headed out the door and into his room. As he did, he plugged the headphones into his iPhone.

Jumping onto his bed, Kenny looked down at his phone and took a deep breath.

This was it. It was now or never.

Closing his eyes, he placed the headphones onto his head.

Then, he was plunged into darkness.

* * *

_Read and review._


	4. Out to Sea

_South Down: Who knows?_

* * *

Before long, Stan, Kyle, Ike, Jimmy and Timmy had reached where Stark's Pond usually would've been. When they arrived, the boys had discovered that Jimmy was right; instead of a pond, it had been replaced by a large sea of water.

"Holy shit, dude!" Kyle shouted out in shock.

Stan squinted his eyes at the sea, staring off into the distance. Though it was so far away it was practically a speck in his vision, he could just barely make out a tiny island in the center of the sea. Where the cave hiding the map was, no doubt.

However, something else caught his eye. It was a pirate ship, heading right for the island and halfway there. He knew immediately it was other gamers, trying to get to the island and take the map.

Turning to Timmy, he said, "Alright, Timmy, do your thing."

"TIMMY!" Timmy shouted in reply. Rolling towards the edge of the water, he flipped through his phone and tapped onto the screen. A flash of blue enveloped him, and when it vanished, he had transformed into Pirate Ship Timmy.

Quickly, Stan and Kyle pushed him into the water before hopping in, Kyle pulling Ike in as well. "What about you, Jimmy?" Stan asked once they were all in.

"I'll only slow you down," Jimmy told them. "Meet me when you get b-b-back."

"Alright," Kyle said. "Come on, Timmy, let's go!" With that, the boys set out to sea.

As they went, Cartman, Butters, Dougie and Scott rushed out of the woods, pushing a small rowboat towards the sea. "Come on, you guys, we can't waste a moment!" Cartman told his allies. "We can't let them get to that island before us!"

"Oh, hey fellas!" Jimmy called out to them as he saw them push the boat into the sea.

"Shut it, Jimmy!" Cartman snapped as he and the others crawled into the boat. Quickly, they began rowing after Pirate Ship Timmy and his occupants.

"Treasure map, here I come," Cartman said, rubbing his hands in anticipation.

* * *

"How close are we to the island, captain?" Swashbuckler Red called out on the larger pirate ship.

"Less than a half hour away, Swashbuckler Red," Captain Wendy replied, scoping the island with her spyglass from the crow's nest. "We can cut that time in half by setting up the sails."

"On it, captain!" Annie quickly shouted up at Wendy. Unlike the other girls, she wasn't wearing a pirate costume; instead, she was wearing her "warrior" suite, though it made her look more like a fairy.

Wendy stifled a groan. "Well, actually Annie, you don't need to-" But Annie was already heading for the sails.

"Alright, captain, what do I do first?" Annie called out for instructions.

"Um, pull on the halyard to hoist the mainsail up," Wendy instructed.

"What's a halyard?" Annie asked.

The other three girls groaned. "Just let me do it!" Buccaneer Bebe shouted, rushing next to Annie and pulling the halyard, hoisting up the mainsail. Quickly, the ship began to pick up speed.

Annie looked down, dejected. "Sorry," She mumbled out.

"There's no need to apologize, Annie," Wendy reassured her, swinging down the crow's nest via a rope. "Just wait until we get to the island."

Annie bit her lip. Glancing up, she saw a large black figure in the sky and said, "What are those?"

Wendy and Bebe looked up at the large, writhing figure as it flew over their heads. "Those look like. . . mosquitoes?" Wendy asked. "What are they doing out at sea?" As the three watched, the mosquito swarm flew past them and towards the island. As soon as it got there, the swarm almost seemed to vanish into thin air.

"Odd," Wendy whispered.

Meanwhile, Red was at the deck, looking back at the mainland. "You know, it's a good thing we chose now to pick up speed," She pointed out.

"Why?" Bebe asked.

The moment she asked, a loud explosion filled the air, and the girls all stumbled across the ground as a violent force hit the ship, causing it to shift. "What was that?!" Bebe shouted in alarm.

Wendy was the first to recover, rushing to where the ship had been struck. Looking down, she saw that a large hole had been made in the side of the ship. Looking up, she saw a small figure a distance away; using her spyglass, she inspected it closer and saw it was Pirate Ship Timmy, along with Stan, Kyle and Ike, sailing after them.

"Send another at them!" Kyle ordered. Quickly, Timmy fired another cannonball at the larger ship, piercing right above the first shot. The force of the blow send all four girls tumbling onto the ground once more.

"We're under attack!" Wendy shouted. "Return fire!"

Scrambling towards the steering wheel, Wendy grabbed hold of it, struggling to regain control of the ship. Groaning loudly, she managed to get the ship on course for the island.

Bebe rushed towards the side of the ship. "You stupid assholes!" She shouted. Unveiling her pistol, she quickly began to fire at the smaller pirate ship and its occupants. The arrows lodged themselves in the side of the smaller ship.

"Hey, they're shooting at us," Stan said, ducking as one arrow soared over his head.

"TIMMY!" Pirate Ship Timmy shouted, firing another cannonball, this one aimed at the deck where Bebe was standing. The blast send her flying off the deck and onto the afterdeck.

"Come on, those cannonballs aren't gonna do much damage," Kyle said. "We have to get past them, somehow!"

"Wait, I think I have an idea," Stan said. Whipping out his phone, he quickly began to swipe through his cards. As the screen landed on his desired card, however, a shot from Bebe's arrow pierced his shoulder, causing him to scream out in pain and tumble off the ship and into the sea.

_"Stan!" _Kyle shouted out in horror. He rushed towards the end of the ship and looked out at the sea, but he could find no sign of Stan anywhere in the vast body of water.

On the larger ship, Annie had helped Bebe to her feet while Wendy continued to man the ship. "Come on, you have a clear shot at them," Annie said to the older blonde.

"I know," Bebe said, taking aim with the pistol. "Who do I shoot at, though?"

Before she could fire, however, a massive shadow loomed over her head. All the occupants of the ship looked up as a large tidal wave rose over the ship, dwarfing it. Pellets of water began to rain down onto the girls.

"Holy shit," Kyle whispered, clutching onto Ike as he gazed up in awe at the wave. He couldn't help but notice that despite the size of the wave, he and the other occupants of Timmy's ship seemed totally unaffected by it.

It was only when he saw the figure at the top of the wave that he understood why.

"Stan?!" He shouted out in disbelief.

Indeed, it was Stan standing at the top of the wave; however, he was no longer in his Program Stan form.

"Haha, puny mortals!" Poseidon Stan bellowed out, clutching his trident and raising it in the air, his white beard flowing in the wind. "I control the seas!" Twirling the trident in his hand, he aimed it at the ship below him.

"Uh-oh," Annie squeaked out.

Immediately, the wave fell upon the large ship, capsizing it. The girls all let out high-pitched screams as they were engulfed by water and thrown off the ship.

Immediately, the sea died down and the tidal wave vanished. The pirate ship floated on its side, its former occupants in the water, struggling to keep their heads above the surface.

As the occupants of Timmy's ship watched on, Poseidon Stan rode a small wave towards them before hopping back in. "That should slow them down a bit," He said, twirling the trident in his fingers.

"Wow, dude," Kyle said, amazed. "I didn't think you had it in you to do that to your girlfriend."

At that, Stan's eyes widened. "Wait, Wendy was on that ship?" He asked.

"Stan!" The boys heard Wendy shout out at them a distance away. Stan whipped his head towards the direction of the voice, seeing Wendy scrambling on the surface near her capsized ship. She was facing them, looking mad as all Hell.

". . . Oh, shit," Stan said, his skin turning pale. Quickly, he summoned a small wave that zoomed Timmy's Pirate Ship past the downed ship and towards the island, eager to get out of there as fast as possible.

"You jerks!" Wendy shouted as the small ship began to fade from view, slapping the water in anger.

A distance away, Red grumbled. "Come on," She urged, beginning to swim back to the downed watercraft. "Let's get this ship back on course."

"Yeah, then we can kick their asses!" Bebe shouted as she and the other girls followed Red back to the ship to right the capsized vessel and continue onward.

* * *

As soon as Kenny had put the headphones on, he'd found himself transported into the center of town. It hadn't taken long for him to adjust to his surroundings, as well as figure out how to switch between card costumes, though he'd decided to save them for when he actually needed them.

"(Alright, now where the heck are Stan and Kyle and the others?)" He wondered aloud to himself, his hands on his hips.

At that moment, Officer Barbrady happened upon him. "Hey, no loitering on the streets," The policeman called out to him.

"(Officer Barbrady?)" Kenny asked, surprised to see him. "(What are you doing here?)"

"Oh, you know," Officer Barbrady replied. "Since everyone's coming in here, I decided I might as well. To make sure nobody's doing anything illegal, you know."

"(Hey, did you happen to see my friends pass through here?)" Kenny asked him.

"Oh, yeah," Barbrady said. "They left town, though. They were looking for the prize, I guess."

_Of course__, _Kenny thought to himself. "(Well, I guess I ought to go find them,)" He mumbled. With that, he headed off down the streets, no specific location in mind for where he would go next.

As he walked, he didn't notice three figures standing on the roof of one of the buildings, staring down at him.

"Yes, Kenneth, you should go find your friends," Nathan whispered coolly, smoking a cigarette and inhaling deeply. "Would be a shame if something bad were to happen to them before you did." He was dressed in a black suit and top hat.

At his side, Mimsy said, "Oh boy, this game is gonna be so much fun, huh boss?!"

Immediately, Nathan jumped up and struck Mimsy across the head. "Shut up, Mimsy!" He shouted, shaking his fist in anger.

"Sorry, boss," Mimsy replied meekly.

Nathan turned towards the other figure on the roof. "Say, boss, why did you want us to send McCormick into the game?" He asked.

The girl didn't respond. She sat on the edge of the roof, facing away from Nathan and Mimsy, holding a small purple motorcycle helmet in her hands.

Eventually, she spoke. "Let's just say there's something intriguing about him," She whispered, using a paper towel to wipe the visor of the helmet. "After all, when someone lives a life like him, there's no telling what lengths they'll go to in order to change it."

Standing up, she placed the helmet onto her head. "You've done your part," She said, turning towards the two of them. "Why don't you go and have yourselves some fun?"

"Oh boy!" Mimsy shouted. "I can't wait! We're gonna have so much fun!" With that, he headed towards the side of the building and tumbled off, landing with a thud on the way down.

"What about you?" Nathan asked.

The girl didn't look at him, instead keeping her eyes focused on Kenny as he continued walking, oblivious to their presence.

"I intend to keep an eye on our friend," She whispered coolly. "A _close _eye on him."

* * *

_Read and review._


	5. Pirate Hunt

_GBond007: Is she, though?_

_South Down: I dunno._

_Walter Bryan Cranston White: Maybe._

* * *

"Are you sure your shoulder is okay, Stan?" Kyle asked as the boys got to shore on the island and hopped off Pirate Ship Timmy.

"Oh, it's nothing," Stan reassured him, rubbing his shoulder where he'd been shot by Bebe's arrow. "Wouldn't be the first time I've been shot. Anyways, let's worry about getting that map before the others catch up."

Scout Ike whipped out his phone and switched cards, transforming into Smuggler Ike. "Come on!" He exclaimed, swinging his cutlass in the air before heading towards the entrance of the cave. Stan and Kyle took one last look back to sea, and could vaguely see the ship they had capsized get righted. They knew it wouldn't be long before the girls caught up to them.

"Alright, let's go!" Stan said, and he and Kyle followed Ike into the cave. It was dark inside, and huge, with massive intersecting corridors leading to different sections of the cave.

"Holy crap, this place is huge!" Stan exclaimed, looking around himself. "How are we gonna find the map in here?"

"Well, we'll have to before the girls catch up to us," Kyle reminded him, before turning before him and calling out, "Ike, don't stray too far."

"Maybe we should split up," Stan suggested. "We could cover more ground that way."

"No, we have to stick together," Kyle argued. "It's too dangerous splitting up, especially in here. Right Ike? Ike?"

Kyle's eyes widened as he quickly scanned the area to find no sign of his brother anywhere. "Ike?" He shouted in horror. "Ike, where are you? Ike?!" Quickly, he rushed down the caverns, desperate to find him, Stan following suite.

Eventually, the two of them recognized the familiar silhouette of Kyle's brother at the end of one of the caverns. "Kyle!" He called out to them, waving his cutlass in the air.

Kyle sighed with relief. "Ike," He whispered. "You nearly gave me a heart attack. Alright, come over he-" Before he could finish his sentence, Ike suddenly slipped and fell over, vanishing from view, his cries echoing through the caverns.

"Ike!" Kyle shouted in horror, instinctively diving forward. As he did, he, too, tumbled down the small hill, coming to a stop on the ground. Groaning, he got to his knees; as he did, his fingers clenched around numerous tiny objects scattered across the ground.

"What the-" He whispered, raising the objects to his face. It was then that he saw they were gold coins. Looking around, he saw that the whole room was covered in gold and diamonds.

"Smuggler's Den," Ike said a short distance away, buried in gold, his cutlass pointed at the wall. Kyle followed where he was pointing and saw the words **Smuggler's Den **carved into the wall, illuminated by torches lighting the room.

"Kyle!" Stan shouted at the top of the hill. "Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Kyle called up to him.

"Alright then, can we get a move on?" Stan asked. "We have to continue searching."

"Um. . . yeah," Kyle replied, looking at the gold scattered across the den. "Um, could you give us a few seconds, though? Perhaps we could take some of this gold with us?"

"Kyle, what use is gold in this game?" Stan asked. "Come on, let's go find the map."

"It'll only take a minute, Stan," Kyle reassured him, already gathering some of the coins in his arms. "We'll be right there."

Stan groaned in annoyance. Turning around, he headed off down one of the over corridors, scanning the area for any sign of the map. Eventually, his eyes landed on a treasure chest at the end of the corridors. It looked like it had been busted open not too long ago.

Rushing over to it, Stan opened up the chest. Immediately, his eyes glistened.

Lying inside the treasure chest was the map. It was too dark for him to see what it said, but he knew it was what he was looking for.

"Kyle!" He called out. "Ike! I found the map!"

He was about to reach in and grab it when he noticed a light source behind him. Whipping around, he saw a dark figure in front of him, holding up a lantern, letting Stan see his face.

"Clyde?" He blurted out in shock.

"That's Hookhand Clyde to you," Clyde retorted, aiming one of his hooked hands at him. With his other, he raised the lantern up at the treasure chest, illuminating the map, letting Stan see it more clearly. He saw the outline of the key on it, but he couldn't yet make out where it was supposed to be located.

"I take it you're here for the map," Stan whispered, shielding the treasure chest. "Well, I found it first. So unless you want to fight, I'm taking it."

"Oh, I've already gotten what I wanted here," Hookhand Clyde replied, trying, and failing, to sound menacing. "Don't worry; I won't get in your way."

"But we will!" A voice shouted not too far away, causing both boys to whip around in shock. Standing in the middle of the corridors, blocking their path, was Wendy, Bebe, Red and Annie.

"Give us that map," Bebe ordered, aiming her pistol at the two.

"Over my dead body!" Stan retorted.

"Gladly!" Bebe shouted, and with that, she started firing her pistol at the two. Stan and Clyde quickly began to scatter in a panic as both Bebe and Wendy fired at them, moving them further away from the treasure chest.

"Quick Red, get the map!" Wendy ordered as she kept Stan and Clyde away from the chest. Her redheaded friend obeyed, rushing towards the treasure chest and grabbing the map. She furled it up and rushed back to her friends' sides.

"Alright, let's move!" Bebe exclaimed. They turned and were about to head off, only to be blocked by Kyle and Ike, who were carrying as much gold as they could in their arms and pockets.

"You'll have to get through us first!" Kyle retorted.

"What took you two so long?" Stan asked, hiding behind a stalagmite.

"Sorry, we had to take a picture," Kyle apologized.

"A picture?" Stan blurted out in disbelief. "Why did you-"

"Enough talking!" Clyde shouted. Rushing out from behind the stalagmite, he hurled his green parrot at Bebe. The bird latched itself in her blonde hair, tucking on it with her talons.

"Augh!" She screamed in pain, dropping the pistol and swiping wildly with her hands. "Get this thing off of me!"

The bird flew over her head and towards Wendy, who swung at it to try and get it away. Clyde took the opportunity to scramble down the corridor, passing Kyle and Ike as he went.

Whipping out his cutlass, Ike lunged at Red. The older girl pulled out her sabre, using it to block Ike's blade as it came down on her. Still holding onto the map with one hand, she fenced with Ike, the two clashing swords. Kyle took the opportunity to rush past the two, dumping the gold into the empty treasure chest.

With the girls distracted, Stan took the opportunity to rush forward. As Red interlocked her sabre with Ike's cutlass, he reached out and grabbed the map from her hand.

"Hey!" Red shouted, whirling around. Before she could retaliate, Ike whacked her in the leg with the broad side of his sword, bringing her attention back to him. Now using both hands, she swung her sabre at him repeatedly. Ike tried to parry her blows, but she was bigger than he was, and put more force into each strike.

By now, the parrot had vanished, and Wendy and Bebe had recovered and were now focusing their attention back on the boys. The two aimed their pistols at the boys.

"Give us the map, Stan!" Wendy demanded.

"Kyle, we could use a little help here!" Stan said, his hands raised in surrender.

"No worries!" Kyle replied, shutting the treasure chest. Turning towards the girls, he asked, "You know what a pirate's worst enemy is?"

"What?" Bebe asked.

Whipping out his phone, Kyle shouted, "Ninjas!" With that, he pressed the card and immediately transformed into the Master Ninjew.

"Take this!" He shouted, jumping into the air and hurling shurikens at them. The girls immediately dodged out of the way as the ninja stars embedded themselves in the wall.

"Give me the map, Stan!" The Master Ninjew ordered Stan. Obeying him, Stan handed the furled map over to him. He took it, continuing to hurl the shurikens at Wendy and Bebe to keep them at bay.

As Wendy rolled across the ground, dodging the ninja stars, Annie rushed towards her. "Hey Wendy, can I fight Stan for you?" She asked. "Please!"

"Fine!" Wendy replied, ducking under another star. "Just don't get-"

"Great!" Annie shouted, then hastily rushed towards Stan and Kyle. "Prepare to feel the wrath of Warrior Ann-"

_WHACK!_

Before Annie could finish her sentence, she was smacked in the face with Stan's trident. She soundlessly dropped onto the ground, dazed.

"-Hurt," Wendy finished, wincing.

"Come on!" The Master Ninjew shouted, picking up the treasure chest and carrying it down the corridors, Ike and Stan following suite. As they ran, Stan turned around and threw a water balloon into the air before smashing it with his trident, spraying the ground with water. As the girls attempted to follow them, they slipped and fell across the wet ground.

"Sorry," Stan hastily apologized to Wendy as they fled. "Sorry!"

Turning around, he followed Kyle and Ike as they rushed out of the cave and outside. "Man, that was a close one," Kyle breathed out as they exited the cave. "We nearly lost the-"

_POW!_

Suddenly, Kyle was struck dead-center in the face by a giant red boxing glove. The force of the blow sent him flying backwards and crashing onto the ground. Ike and Stan jumped in alarm before turning to see Barrel Dougie, the boxing glove sticking out of the barrel.

"Watch the barrel," He sneered wickedly.

Before Stan or Ike could respond, Ike was snatched from behind. Stan whirled around in shock to see Deckhand Butters holding Ike still, a small knife to his throat.

"Easy, fellas!" He warned, trying to sound as menacing as he could.

Stan froze as he heard a familiar laughing at his side. Turning around, he saw Sheriff Cartman, his gun pointed at him.

"Haha, you dumbasses made this too easy!" Cartman sneered.

Stan dropped his trident and put his hands in the air. "Cartman, when did you get here?" He asked.

"We followed you to the island," Cartman revealed, titling his head towards the rowboat docked on the shore, where Scott was currently seated. "We decided to wait for you to get the map for us. Speaking of which. . ." Cockily, he strode over to the dazed Kyle, the furled piece of paper in his hand.

"I'll be taking that," He said, snatching it from Kyle's fingers. The redhead weakly raised his hands towards him, his eyes narrowed.

"Give it back. . . fatass. . ." He whispered, his teeth gritted.

"Sorry," Cartman sarcastically replied as he held the paper in his hands. "But only one person can get the prize. Sucks it won't be you!"

Turning to Butters and Dougie, he exclaimed, "Come on, you guys! Let's get out of here!" He rushed towards the rowboat, Dougie barreling after him. Butters released Ike and was about to follow suite, but stopped when he saw one of Kyle's ninja stars lying in the sand. Instantly, he froze, his blood running cold.

"Ninja star!" He shouted out in a panic, flashbacks to when one of them got stuck in his eye rushing back to him. With a scream, he stumbled backwards. Seeing his chance, Stan hurled the trident at him. It caught Butters' sleeve and sent him flying into the wall.

"Hey Cartman!" Stan called out. "Aren't you forgetting someone?"

By now, Cartman and Dougie were back in the boat. Looking up, they saw Butters, pinned to the wall of the cave by the trident. "Um, fellas, a little help here?" He asked, dangling from the wall.

"Sorry, Butters," Cartman called out to him. "But the needs of me outweigh the needs of you! Let's move!" With that, Scott and Dougie began rowing as fast as they could, moving the boat away from the island.

Stan growled in anger. By now, Kyle had recovered, and was carrying the treasure chest towards Pirate Ship Timmy. "Forget about them, Stan!" He called out to him. "Let's get a move on!"

Glaring back at Cartman one last time, he followed Kyle and Ike back onto Pirate Ship Timmy. Quickly, they set sail, going in the opposite direction.

"What are you doing?" Stan asked. "We have to go get the map!"

"Let them have it," Kyle replied casually, grinning. "We have something better." With that, he opened the treasure chest, revealing the map inside, lying on top of the gold.

Stan's jaw dropped as he stared down at the map. Suddenly, a rough force struck the boat, rocking it slightly and causing the boys to tumble. Kyle quickly snapped the treasure chest shut to keep the map from falling out.

Whipping their heads to the side, they saw none other Annie, hanging onto the edge of the boat. With a groan, she pulled herself on board before standing to her feet.

"Annie, there's not a lot of room in here," Stan said, squished against Kyle. "Get out."

"Not until you give us the map!" Annie retorted, pointing a finger at the two. "Don't make me have to take it by force! I'm warning you; you do not want to see me angry!"

Stan and Kyle exchanged bored glances with each other. Before they could respond, Ike, standing behind Annie, grabbed her foot and tossed it in the air. Thrown off-balance, she stumbled backwards and headfirst into the cannon.

"Oh, shit," Stan whispered as he watched Annie's legs kick out, her voice muffled from inside the cannon.

"TIMMY!" Timmy shouted. With that, he fired the cannon, blasting Annie out of the cannon and up into the sky. Her scream echoed through the air as her body soared away, growing smaller and smaller until she had vanished from view.

Stan, Kyle, Ike and Timmy stared up into the air where Annie had vanished. "Huh," Kyle whispered. "Well, better get back to land. We'll decide what to do with the map there."

"Wait, there's something I don't get it," Stan said. "If the map was in the treasure chest, what did Cartman take?"

* * *

Cartman laughed triumphantly as Dougie and Scott rowed the boat across the sea. "Those losers never stood a chance!" He shouted, holding the furled paper in his hands. "Secret prize, here I come!"

"You know, it was kind of a dick move leaving Butters behind," Dougie mumbled.

"Eh, he did his part," Cartman scoffed. "All that matters now is that we have the map. It's ours, and with it, finding that key will be a piece of cake!"

Scott stared at the furled paper in Cartman's hand. "Hey, doesn't that paper looks kinda small for a map?" He said, staring at it.

Cartman's grin vanished. He looked down at the furled paper currently in his hands. Only then did he realize that it did, indeed, look rather small, and white.

Slowly, he unfurled the paper. When he did, his entire body froze with rage.

Dougie and Scott noticed the way Cartman's body tensed up. "What is it?" Scott asked, dropped their paddles and crowding around Cartman's sides. Once they did, they saw why Cartman had froze.

In Cartman's hands was a picture of Kyle mooning him inside Smuggler's Den while also flipping him off. At the top corner of the picture, written in Kyle's handwriting, was the words, _"Dear Cartman."_

For a few moments, Cartman simply stood in silence, his mouth a thin line. Slowly, his cheeks began to turn red, and Scott and Dougie inched away from him in fear.

With a growl, Cartman ripped the picture in two.

"Goddammit Kyle!" He shouted, shaking his fists in the air in rage.

* * *

_Read and review._


	6. Many Moon's Stronghold

_South Down: Could you be a little more descriptive next time?_

_GBond007: I guarantee you, more characters will show up. _

_Pikamonproductions: 1. It may not seem like it now, but as will be shown soon enough, it's kind of plot relevant. 2. It was a photograph, but otherwise, yes. _

_Malstygian: That actually did cross my mind, but it didn't come to pass._

* * *

"I can't believe those stupid boys outsmarted us AGAIN!" Buccaneer Bebe complained when she and the other girls had exited the cave. "Now they have the map, meaning this whole treasure hunt was pointless!"

"It might not be," Captain Wendy reassured her, staring off into sea. "If we can get back to land quick enough, we might just be able to follow them."

"Um, we have more important matters than that," Swashbuckler Red pointed out. "Where's Annie?"

The three girls looked around the island in surprise, then out at sea. "Oh no," Wendy whispered. "She ran ahead to try and take back the map. The boys must've done away with her somehow."

"Poor little Annie," Bebe said, her shoulders slumping. "Always so desperate to prove herself."

The three girls stood there for a few moments, silently mourning the loss of their friend. Eventually, Red spoke up.

"Well this sucks," She said, putting her hands on her hips. "Now how are we going to fill that void? I mean, where are we going to find another blonde, naive, innocent-"

"Um, hey girls?" The girls heard a familiar voice say, and turned around to see Deckhand Butters, still pinned to the cave walls by the trident. "Could you give me a hand here?"

The girls exchanged glances with each other. Then, Red strode up towards Butters, trying to look as friendly as possible.

"Hey there, fella," She said, reaching out and caressing his face tenderly. "Are you hurt?"

"Well, not physically, at least," Butters replied uneasily.

"Are you lost?" Bebe followed up, standing at Butters' other side.

"Um, I guess you could say that?" Butters asked, a little uncomfortable at his personal space being invaded.

"Well, hey," Red said, pulling the trident out from the wall, freeing him. "Since you have nowhere else to go, why don't you hang out with us?"

". . . I feel like I don't have much of a choice in this," Butters meekly said, looking up at the two girls.

"Good answer!" Bebe said, pulling Butters up to his feet. She and Red half-dragged him towards the docked ship, Bebe saying, "Alright, let's get this thing back to sea."

As the girls, along with their new addition, boarded the ship, Red asked Butters, "Hey, you wouldn't happen to know how to set up sails, would you?"

"Um, maybe?" Butters replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well then get onto that!" She ordered, pointing towards the sails. "We have to make it to land as fast as possible!"

". . . Oh, hamburgers," Butters whispered, looking at the floor.

* * *

Before long, Stan, Kyle, Ike and Timmy had successfully made it back to land. Once they did, Timmy morphed back into his Pope Timmy form, and Stan and Kyle set the treasure chest down onto the grass.

"Hey, Jimmy!" Stan called out, wandering away from the shore. "Um, Jimmy, we're back! And we have the map!" He got no reply.

"Where is he?" Kyle asked, looking around for any sign of their friend. "He said he'd meet us when we got back."

"Maybe he got impatient," Stan suggested. "Regardless, now that we have the map, we should figure out what to do with-"

_THUNK!_

Suddenly, an arrow pierced the treasure chest, causing the boys to jump in alarm. They whipped their heads up towards the trees, and saw an Indian Hunter concealed in the leaves, his bow and arrow aimed at them.

The hunter let out an Indian war cry, and without warning, multiple Indian braves rushed out of hiding, surrounding the four terrified boys. Shouts of "Scalp 'em!" and "Put up your dukes!" filled the air as they aimed their weapons at the four. Ike screamed and hid behind Kyle, who shielded his brother despite his own obvious terror.

An Indian Brute, the largest of the Indian kids, pushed through the crowd. He aimed his spear at Stan, who raised his arms up in surrender. His eyes narrowed as he stared into Stan's terrified ones.

Then, the Indian's eyes widened in shock. "It's him," He whispered in awe. Immediately, he got down onto his knees, bowing before Stan. The other Indians, seeing what the Brute had seen, quickly did the same.

Kyle, holding onto Ike, stared at the Indians, baffled. "What's going on?" He asked.

Stan himself was silent for a few moments, trying to understand why the Indians who had attacked them were now bowing before him. Then, realization struck him.

"Oh," He whispered. Whipping out his phone, he transformed into Stan of Many Moons.

"Arise, my warriors," He commanded, raising his hatchet in the air. The Indians did as he commanded.

"Apologies, my chief," The Indian Brute said. "We were sent here to await your arrival."

"I guess whoever sent you didn't bother giving you a picture," Kyle said, annoyed at the harsh greeting. "Who sent you, anyways?"

"The Chief's Daughter," One of the hunters informed him. "We shall take you to her."

"Daughter?" Stan of Many Moons said, baffled. "Me and Wendy haven't. . . never mind. Take us to her."

"As you command, chief," The Indian Brute said.

* * *

Before long, the now larger group were wandering through the woods. The deeper they got into the forest, the more Indian hunters and braves they saw, hidden throughout the woods.

Finally, one of the braves stopped the group. "We're here," He said, pointing up ahead towards a village nearby. "Many Moon's Stronghold."

The boys gazed at the village, amazed. It looked like a real Native American village, far more authentic than the make-belief ones they'd created in the real world. Without another word, they headed forward.

As the Indians in the village saw Stan of Many Moons arrive, they quickly made way for him, some bowing in respect. One of the hunters rushed up to the group, informing them, "The Chief's Daughter is this way."

The boys followed the hunter through the village. Eventually, they found a tall woman in the center of the village, her back turned towards them. The hunter walked up to her, saying, "Stan of Many Moons is here to see you."

Quickly, the woman turned around. As soon as she did, Stan's eyes widened in horror.

_"Dad?!" _He shouted in shock.

"Hey, Stan!" Randy exclaimed, brushing his long hair. "How do I look? I'm dressed as Pocahontas!" He posed in his Pocahontas dress.

Stan stared at his father in disbelief. "W-W-What are you-you. . ." He stuttered, at a loss for words.

"After your mom and I found out you'd gotten this new game, we decided we'd come in and join you," Pocahontas Randy explained. "Won't that be fun?"

"Uuuuuh," Stan droned, uncomfortable. "Dad, that's not really necessary. . ."

"Stanley!" The boys heard a voice call out. Turning around, they saw Sharon rushing over to them, a concerned look on her face.

"Your arm!" She said in horror, taking Stan's arm, which had dried blood on it. It was only then that he remembered the arrow wound he'd gotten from Bebe.

"It's nothing mom, really," Stan reassured her.

"Hush," Sharon said, placing a hand onto Stan's shoulder. Within moments, Stan's wound had healed.

"Whoa, dude!" Kyle exclaimed, amazed. The boys then remembered that Sharon was a Medicine Woman.

"Thanks, mom," Stan mumbled, though he was still uneasy about his parents being in the game.

At that moment, Jimmy hobbled up towards them. "Hey fellas!" He greeted. He was no longer in his Friar form; instead, he was in his Storyteller guise.

"Nice to see you made it back from the island," He told them. "Did you get the m-m-map?"

"Yeah, it's right here," Kyle said, opening up the treasure chest, unveiling it. "As soon as we find out where the key is, we're gonna set off to get it."

"Yeah," Stan agreed.

"Uh, no you're not," Sharon told them, causing the boys to look up at her, confused.

"What?" Stan asked. "Why not?"

"You just got back from a pirate hunt, _and _got shot," Sharon reminded them. "You need to rest up a bit before you go on _another _adventure."

"Come on, mom," Stan complained.

"No, Stan," Sharon retorted, raising a finger to silence him. "It's already getting dark out." The boys looked up at the skies, and saw that it was, indeed, getting darker.

"I didn't realize the digital world had a day-and-night simulation," Stan murmured to himself.

"Stan, maybe your mom has a point," Kyle said to him. "It's almost nighttime, and we're in a village surrounded by warriors, so I doubt anyone is gonna risk trying to steal the map. Let's stay for the night, and form a proper plan for reaching the key. Then we can leave in the morning."

Stan considered Kyle's suggestion. Glancing over, he saw that Ike was already falling asleep by the campsite.

"Alright," He said, finally. "We'll spend the night here. But posts some guards around the village. The last thing we want is someone sneaking in to take the map. Especially Cartman."

"You got it, chief," One of the hunters said, and ran off to inform the other braves and hunters.

"Now," Kyle whispered, pulling the map out of the treasure chest. "Time to find out where the key is."

* * *

_Read and review._


	7. In the Dark of the Night

_South Down: What do you mean? That it's becoming night-time?_

_GBond007: We will see._

* * *

On Stan of Many Moon's orders, guards were posted outside the barriers of the village. With darkness approaching, he wanted to ensure that nobody infiltrated the stronghold, especially to steal the map.

Currently, Pocahontas Randy was performing a "sensual" dance for the younger Indians in the centre of the village. Stan tried to ignore his dad as he swayed before the awed boys and girls before the fireplace, instead attempting to keep focus on the map. Kyle couldn't help but stifle a giggle at how his best friend's dad was making a complete fool of himself, even as he, too, analyzed the map.

Meanwhile, Storyteller Jimmy sat atop a log, entertaining the other Indian children, as well as Scout Ike, with a series of jokes. "Why did the Native American hate snow?" He asked.

"Why?" One of the Indian Hunters asked.

"Because it's white and on his land," Storyteller Jimmy replied. Immediately, the kids gathered around started laughing.

Suddenly, Stan called out, "Hey everyone! Come look!"

Quickly, the kids in the village, along with Randy and Sharon, stopped what they were doing and ran up and crowded around Stan and Kyle. Stan held up the map so everyone could see.

"There, look," He said, pointing at a picture of a key located in the bottom-right corner of the map. "That must be the location of the key."

The Indians "oohed" in awe.

Stan scanned the map further. "Alright, so we're here," He said, placing a finger on the forest near the town, on the top-left corner of the map. "It says **South Park **right there."

"What about the key?" One of the braves asked. "Where is it located?"

Stan looked at the key's location again. "It says **Underworld**. I guess that means the key is underground, then."

"Underworld?" Kyle said. "That sounds kind of threatening. You think there are monsters down there?"

"It can't be anything worse than what we've already encountered," Stan reassured him.

"Well, how do we get there?" Sharon asked.

"Um. . ." Stan said, looking at the map again. It was huge, with many different locations on it, especially between the forest and the key. There were frozen mountains, as well as deserts, kingdoms, and more. There were many paths to the Underworld, but he didn't know which to pick.

Kyle cut in. "The **Elven Sanctuary **is practically on the borders of the Underworld," He pointed out. "We should probably head straight there. The walk doesn't seem as treacherous as through the **Dragon Pass** or the **Alien Junkyard**."

"What do you think, Stan of Many Moons?" The Indian Brute questioned.

Stan placed a hand on his chin. "You may have a point there, Kyle," He said. "If we make it to the Elven Sanctuary first, we could possibly be able to fortify our position there to prevent other people from passing through or attacking. Then, we could get to the Underworld."

"Great idea, Stan!" Pocahontas Randy said.

"We'll spend the night here," Stan informed the rest of the village. "Gather up our strength. Then, first thing in the morning, we set out for the sanctuary!"

The Indians cheered in response. Kyle placed the map back in the treasure chest and the tribe dispersed, the long journey awaiting them weighing heavily on their minds.

As Stan and Kyle picked up the treasure chest and carried it inside their tent, Stan said, "You know, I can't help but wonder what Kenny's doing. I'm sure he would've loved to have joined us."

"Yeah," Kyle whispered, his face falling as he remembered their friend. "I would've loved that, too. It's a shame he couldn't make it."

The two boys frowned as they set the treasure chest down inside their tent. Solemnly, they lay down in their makeshift beds, the thought of Kenny not leaving their minds as they started to doze off.

* * *

Where were they?

Kenny had been asking himself that question ever since he'd set off from the town in search of Stan, Kyle and Cartman. He'd initially assumed finding them wouldn't have been a hard task, but as nighttime approached and he still found no sign of them, he'd started to worry they'd already set off on their journey and were long gone.

Currently, he made his way through the woods. He wasn't sure he would find anyone there, but it was a start. It was so dark outside he could barely see a thing, and he occasionally tripped and walked into a tree or bush. His parka was covered in twigs and dirt as he trudged through the woods aimlessly.

All of a sudden, he heard voices a distance away, and quickly hid behind a bush. Slowly, he peaked out from behind it, wandering who it was.

As he watched on, he saw Sheriff Cartman, Scott Malkinson and Powerfist Dougie trudging through the woods, a disappointed look on their faces. Of the three, Cartman looked the angriest.

"I can't believe those assholes!" He was currently venting, his hands balled into fists. "Go and pull a fast one on me like that! Well I'll get them back!"

"You've been saying that ever since we got back to shore," Dougie replied glumly. "Stan and Kyle are probably already long gone by now with the map. We'll never catch up to them."

Kenny raised an eyebrow in intrigue. So Cartman wasn't with Stan and Kyle? A part of him wasn't surprised; he doubted Cartman's wish would've been compatible with either of them, particularly Kyle.

He watched as the three continued forward, unaware of his presence, only to be stopped when an arrow was shot at their feet.

"Hey, what the Hell?!" Cartman shouted out in alarm.

At that moment, an Indian Hunter unveiled himself, standing atop one of the trees. "Stop, intruders!" He shouted, aiming an arrow at the three. "Trespassers aren't welcome in Many Moon's Stronghold!"

_Many Moon's Stronghold? _Kenny thought. _Stan of Many Moons? Were Stan and Kyle close by?_

"What are you talking about, asswipe?" Cartman asked the hunter, annoyed. "Get out of here and stop bothering us!"

The hunter let out a war cry, and immediately, a pair of Indian Braves rushed out of the trees, holding their hatchets out against the three intruders. "Can't you read?" One of them asked, pointing to the side. The intruders, as well as Kenny, followed where the brave was pointing, and saw a sign with the words _**No Cowboys Allowed **_written on it.

"Oh, dammit," Sheriff Cartman whispered.

"Go, or we'll have your scalps!" The hunter warned.

Begrudgingly, Cartman turned and headed off. After a moment's hesitation, Scott and Dougie followed suite.

Kenny watched them leave, then turned back towards the Indians. If what they said was true, Stan and Kyle could possibly be close by. At the same time, though, would the guards let him through? Wasn't he, too, an intruder?

At that moment, he remembered that one of his cards was Inuit Kenny. Granted, it wasn't exactly like them, but it was close enough to a Native American. Surely the guards would accept him then.

He was about to whip out his phone and transform right then and there, but paused when he noticed a shadow looming over him. Instinctively, he whirled around and tackled whoever had sneaked up on him, pinning them against the tree.

Quickly, the person raised up their arms in surrender. "Please don't hurt me!" They squeaked in fear.

Kenny froze as he realized that he recognized that voice. Stepping backwards, he saw that the figure was none other than Annie.

The blonde girl looked surprisingly banged up. Her hair was a mess, her face was covered in soot, and her Warrior outfit was torn up. He didn't know what Annie had gone through to make her look like that, but he was nevertheless instantly filled with pity.

Annie was currently doubling over, looking exhausted. "K-K-Kenny?" She whispered, breathing heavily. "You're. . . here?"

"(Um. . . yeah,)" Kenny replied. "(What happened to you?)"

"Separated. . . from my friends," Annie replied, sounding like it hurt to even speak. "Looking for. . . map. Got blasted out of cannon and landed back in town. Been looking for. . . the others."

"(Holy shit,)" Kenny said. He guessed this map must've been very important if people were going to so much trouble to get it.

"(Look, I gotta get you to a healer or something,)" He said, taking Annie's arm and slinging it over his shoulder so she could lean on him. Normally, he would've been a bit more tense being in such close contact with a girl, but at the moment, all he cared about was making sure she got better.

The two hadn't gotten more than a couple feet when a voice shouted, "Intruders!"

_Shit, _Kenny thought. Annie's sudden arrival had made him totally forget about the guards.

Within moments, the hunter and the braves had the two surrounded. "No trespassers!" The hunter ordered. "On orders of Stan of Many Moons!"

Releasing Annie, Kenny made a peaceful gesture, saying, "(I'm friends with Stan of Many Moons. Just let us in.)"

"How do we know we can trust you?" One of the braves asked, restraining Annie. "You could be trying to steal the map!"

"(I just want to see my friends,)" Kenny reassured the guards. "(Look, I'll transform for you.)" Pulling out his phone, he prepared to switch into his Inuit Kenny form.

"He's switching to a more powerful form!" The hunter shouted. "Get 'em!"

Quickly, one of the braves tackled Kenny, causing him to drop his phone. The two boys landed on the wet ground, the brave striking Kenny repeatedly.

"(Get the fuck off of me!)" Kenny shouted, batting at the brave with his arms.

"Hey, leave him alone!" Annie shouted. Despite her weakened state, she stomped on the foot of the brave restraining her, causing him to release her, grabbing his injured foot and hopping around in pain. She was about to intervene between the fighting boys when the hunter shoved her into a tree.

Groaning, Annie struggled onto her hands and knees. Raising her head, she found herself staring into the tip of the arrow the hunter was currently aiming at her with. He drew back his bow, one eye closed as he prepared to fire. Annie shut her eyes in terror.

Suddenly, she felt a warm liquid splash across her face, causing her to recoil. Opening her eyes, she looked down and saw that blood was streaming down her face and onto her hands. It took a few moments for her to realize that the blood was not her own.

Looking up, she stared at the hunter. His eyes were widened in pain and confusion, his mouth hanging open, little sounds of pain escaping his lips. Behind him, the brave that had been restraining her stood ashen-faced, his eyes glued to his comrade's back. Her eyes followed his gaze, and then widened when she saw a black blade, piercing the hunter's back and protruding out his belly.

Slowly, the impaled hunter was lifted into the air by the blade, which Annie realized was a tail. The owner of the bladed tail turned the hunter around so he could face him, then stepped out of the shadows.

It was Clyde. He was no longer dressed like a pirate. Rather, he was in his Alien form.

Alien Clyde lifted the hunter towards him, his eyes chillingly hardened. The hunter's own eyes widened in terror as he was pulled towards him, until the two were so close together their noses were almost touching.

Then, in a single motion, the alien jaws around Clyde's head clamped shut over the hunter's.

Annie let out a scream as she was sprayed with blood. Nearby, Kenny and the Indian Brave stopped fighting as they, too, were hit with a splattering of blood. The brave whipped his head over to see the hunter's decapitated body, suspended in the air by Alien Clyde's tail. Kenny followed his gaze, and his eyes widened in shock.

Forgetting completely about Kenny, the brave jumped off the parka-wearing boy and turned to face his new opponent. Alien Clyde casually slung the hunter's headless corpse out of sight as he prepared to take him on.

Letting out a war cry, the brave charged, his hatchet raised. His cry was cut short, however, as Alien Clyde slammed into him with the force of a freight train, knocking both of them onto the ground. The two scuffled violently, rolling over each other, Alien Clyde's tail swinging and his jaws clamping shut repeatedly, inches away from the brave's face.

As the two fought, Kenny rushed over to Annie. "(We gotta get out of here!)" He shouted in a panic. Annie was about to argue, about to tell him it was just Clyde, but the terrified look in his eyes made her realize he had a reason for them to get out of there. He grabbed her wrist, yanked her to her feet, and ran, as fast as he could, taking Annie with him.

Finally, the hunter threw Alien Clyde off of him. He landed on his hands and knees a distance away, hissing like an animal. The brave began to charge at him, hatchet in his fist, but at that moment, Clyde pulled out a lobster, coated in purple, and hurled it at the brave, striking him in the chest.

The brave let out a surprised shout as he stumbled backwards, coated in purple. He looked down at his arms, which was emitting purple smoke, and looked up at Clyde. He was about to resume his attack when he suddenly began to feel weaker. He crumbled onto his knees, feeling like the life was being sucked out of him as the smoke began to consume his body, clouding his vision.

Alien Clyde watched on as the brave succumbed to the poison. As he collapsed onto the ground, choking on his own blood, Clyde's eyes wandered to the other brave, who watched in horror as his comrade died before his eyes. His eyes were wide and his mouth was opening and closing repeatedly.

Slowly, agonizingly slowly, Clyde stepped past the fallen brave and towards the remaining brave. The guard simply stood there, paralyzed with fear, trembling and quaking violently as Clyde inched closer, his arms outstretched.

Slowly, the tip of the bladed tail slid between the guard's legs and crept up his back. The brave wanted to run, but he couldn't.

* * *

As Kenny and Annie ran, they heard the guard's scream fill the night sky.

And then, the very next moment, all they heard was a deathly silence.

The two took the opportunity to catch their breaths, leaning against the trees as they tried to get their heart rate back to normal. "(Gotta. . . keep going. . .)" Kenny whispered in-between breaths.

"Why?" Annie asked, still not grasping the true danger in their midst. "It's just Clyde. Heck, he saved us. . ."

"(Not him. . . I'm scared about,)" Kenny said, turning to stare at Annie, his expression solemn.

Annie raised an eyebrow. "What?" She asked.

"(Clyde. . .)" Kenny whispered, shaking his head slowly. "(He wouldn't do that. . . not on his own. The worst. . .)" He stood up, walking towards Annie and offering her his hand, indicating they had to keep going.

As Annie took his hand, Kenny looked over his shoulder, in the direction of where they had heard the guard's scream.

"(The worst. . . is only just beginning.)"

* * *

Alien Clyde walked through the woods, leaving the area where he had dispatched the guards. Finally coming to a stop in front of the shadows, he got onto his hands and knees and lowered his head.

"Sorry to have kept you guys waiting," He said, staring at the ground. "I've taken care of all the guards. The village borders are defenseless."

Slowly, the others stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight.

"Well done, Clyde," Marine Craig said, his machine gun slung over his shoulders. "You've really made yourself quite useful."

"Thanks," Clyde mumbled. "But why do I have to do all the dirty work? You sent me to the island to take a picture of the map using my phone, and now you had me take care of all the guards by myself."

"I wouldn't want to waste our most valuable members on a mission where they could get hurt," Craig replied casually, his hand tightened around Warboy Tweek's. Clyde couldn't help but glare.

"Don't complain, Clyde," Space Warrior Token said. "It was a smart idea of Craig's to have you simply take a picture of the map. That way, you could escape while everyone else was distracted fighting over the real thing. Now we have exactly what we need to get that key." He took the phone from Clyde's pocket, which had a picture of the map in it.

"Now all we have to do is take care of the _other _people who know the map's location," Craig said, cocking the machine gun menacingly as he turned his head in the direction of the village.

"I dunno, Craig," Warboy Tweek said, twitching. "They're our friends. Isn't killing them kind of. . . mean?"

"Tweek, killing them will just make them wake up back in the real world," Craig rationalized. "It's not like we're killing them for real."

"If you say so," Token said, raising an eyebrow. "Well, let's do it, then."

"Great," Craig said bluntly. "Alright, boys. Let's rock." With that, Craig's Gang headed off towards the village.

And as they did, dozens of Space Grunts and Gunners stepped out of the shadows and followed them as they marched onward to Many Moon's Stronghold.

* * *

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	8. Aliens vs Indians

_South Down: Those are rather specific._

_GBond007: Alright, then._

_vh1660924: Lola's not in this story, at least, not yet. You'll have to wait and see._

* * *

"Hey, Kyle?" Stan asked as he lay next to his best friend inside their tent.

"Yeah, Stan?" Kyle whispered back, his eyes half-opening.

"What would you wish for if you got the key?" Stan asked.

Kyle didn't answer initially. He fidgeted in his makeshift bed, staring at the top of the tent as he thought to himself. "I dunno," He said, mulling it over in his mind. "I guess an end to bigotry, or world peace. You?"

"I'd probably wish for my family to move off that damn farm," Stan replied casually.

"Seriously, Stan?" Kyle replied, somewhat incredulous.

"Seriously, I hate it there," Stan said, annoyance clear in his tone. "Besides, I'd want to wish for something realistic. I mean, can that key really grant you _any _wish? Like, do you really think it would magically create world peace or something?"

"The ad didn't give any limitations or restrictions," Kyle murmured in response, twisting his head to face his friend.

"Well, duh," Stan replied. "It was trying to sell it to us. You don't get people to buy your craft by giving restrictions."

Kyle looked back up at the tent above them. "What do you think Cartman would wish for?" He asked. "I mean, either of our wishes would have to be better than his."

"Eh, probably another holocaust, or making himself king of the world," Stan joked. "The latter would probably lead to the former, anyways."

"Yeah," Kyle said, laughing. The two boys chuckled briefly before falling silent.

"Stan," Kyle whispered, his smile fading. "What if only one of us manages to get the key?"

Stan paused for a moment. "Well, I hope whichever of us gets it, our wish will make the other one happy," He said, shrugging.

Before Kyle could respond, one of the braves rushed inside the tent. "Chief," He said, a concerned tone in his voice. "You gotta come outside."

"What?" Stan asked, annoyed. "But I just go comfortable."

"Chief!" The brave said, more urgently.

"Alright, fine," Stan said, getting out of bed and shuffling out of the tent. Concerned, Kyle followed him out.

Many of the Indians were currently out of their beds as well, scattered throughout the village. They stared at the walls of the stronghold, looks of fear and concern etched on their faces.

"What's going on?" Kyle asked.

"Listen," One of the hunters whispered, pointing at the village walls.

On the other side of the walls, the village residents could hear heavy shuffling out in the woods. It started small at first, but was now growing bigger and bigger. What was more, it was coming from all sides of the village.

"What's out there?" Sharon asked.

"Is it Cartman?" Stan suggested.

"No way, dude," Kyle reassured him, even as he held Ike close to him. "He's not _that _big." It was meant to be a joke, but at the moment, nobody saw the humor in the situation.

Now, the shuffling was on the walls, as if whatever, or whoever, was outside was climbing up them. "Chief, do something," One of the braves said.

Swallowing, Stan walked over to the walls of the village. "Give me a boost," He said to the Indian Brute. Obediently, the brute hoisted Stan up onto his shoulders and lifted him up so he could see over the village walls and out into the woods.

Looking down, Stan stared at what was climbing up the walls. Once he did, his eyes widened in horror.

On the other side of the village, climbing up the walls, were dozens of Space Grunts and Space Gunners.

Shocked, Stan stumbled and fell off of the brute's shoulders, landing on the ground with a thud. "We're under attack!" He shouted, panicked.

No sooner had the words left his mouth that the sci-fi kids were jumping over the walls and into the village. Quickly, they rushed towards the Indians, tackling them to the ground and grappling with them.

"Get 'em!" One of the braves shouted. The Indians rushed forward, meeting the invaders in combat. They swung their hatchets, beating the grunts back, while the hunters fired their arrows up at the village walls. Several Grunts and Gunners still climbing the walls were struck by the arrows and plunged to the ground below.

On the other side of the gates, several sci-fi kids were slamming into them, trying to burst through. Several braves rushed towards the gates to try and barricade them, but it was too late. The gates were blasted through by the gunners, and the sci-fi kids swarmed inside.

"There's more of them!" One of the braves shouted, seconds before being struck by a laser blast.

"The map!" Kyle shouted to Stan in the midst of the chaos. "We can't let them take the map!" Grabbing Ike's arm, he pulled his brother inside the tent to retrieve it. He scrambled through the treasure chest, pulling the map out and tucking it in his pocket.

Suddenly, Kyle heard Ike scream. Whirling around, he saw a Turbo Space Grunt enter the tent. "Fear my fist!" He yellowed, his metal gloved hand clenched into a fist as he advanced onto Kyle.

At that moment, Ike jumped between the two, holding a marshmallow that had been set aflame. Reaching out, he shoved the flaming marshmallow into the grunt's hair, setting it on fire. Shrieking, the grunt rushed out of the tent, his hands flailing wildly.

"Come on, Ike!" Kyle shouted, grabbing his brother and pulling him out of the tent.

"Go!" Sharon was shouting, ushering the fleeing Indians towards the back of the village. "Everyone, evacuate the village! Meet my son on the Holy Road!"

Stan was half-carrying a wounded brave through the village as the two factions continued fighting. "Don't worry, kid, you're gonna be alright," He was reassuring the injured warrior.

"I can't feel my arm. . ." The brave moaned.

"It's fine," Stan said, pausing to catch his breath. "You're gonna be-"

Suddenly, the brave was struck in the head by a laser blast, sending both of them tumbling onto the ground. Stan immediately got onto his hands and knees and crawled towards the fallen warrior.

"Kid?" He said, nudging the brave. "Kid?!" He got no response.

"Stan, come on!" Kyle shouted, rushing towards him and lifting him to his feet. They were about to continue running when they caught a glimpse of the village gates and saw Marine Craig and his gang heading inside, flanked by the other sci-fi kids.

"Craig?!" Kyle exclaimed in shock.

"Oh dammit, I should've known!" Stan shouted. "He was the reason Clyde was at the island! He must've told him we got the map!"

Craig quickly began firing his gun at the running Indians, mowing several of them down. Noticing Stan and Kyle, he pointed at them shouting, "There they are! Get 'em!"

"Fuck you, Craig!" Stan shouted in response.

"Stan, look out!" Kyle shouted, pulling him to the ground as Alien Clyde lunged towards them at the side. He landed on Kyle, his alien jaws snapping shut inches from his face. Quickly, Kyle pulled out a shuriken and plunged it into Clyde's side, causing him to jump off of Kyle, yelping in pain.

"Protect the chief!" One of the braves shouted. Quickly, several braves let out a war cry and rushed to fight off Stan and Kyle's attackers. Space Warrior Token rushed forward, slashing one of them across the chest with his blade. He dodged a swing from one of the brave's hatchets before retaliating, slicing him across the stomach.

Stan was currently taking care of one of the Space Gunners, pinning him down and striking him in the chest repeatedly with his hatchet. He was distracted when he heard a familiar screaming sound, and he snapped his head around to see Warboy Tweek, letting out a cry and hurling a flaming arrow at him. He ducked and the arrow hit a tent, setting it aflame.

Jumping off the gunner, Stan shouted to the Indians, "Go! Follow my mom outside! We'll catch up with you!"

Grabbing Kyle, he shouted, "Come on, let's get out of here!" They quickly began running as fast as they could.

"Go!" The Indian Brute told them. "I'll hold them off!" Turning around, he faced the Space Grunts rushing towards him. Quickly, he swung his spear and shield, sending the grunts flying into the air with his powerful swings. Some of the gunners fired at him, but he blocked their blasts with his shield before knocking them back as well.

Suddenly, the brute heard a loud thud behind him. Turning around, his eyes widened when he saw a Cyborg Titan lumbering towards him. The equally-sized cyborg clenched his metallic fist as he faced his opponent.

With a cry, both boys charged, slamming into each other. The cyborg's metal fist snapped the brute's spear like a twig while the brute struck him in the face with his shield. They crashed onto the ground, scrapping with each other violently.

Meanwhile, Stan and Kyle continued racing through the village. Stan struck any sci-fi kids that rushed them with his hatchet while Kyle flung his shurikens, piercing several of the attackers.

"We're almost there!" Stan called out as they neared the village exit. Just as they were about to pass through, however, Kyle froze.

"Wait a minute!" He shouted, his eyes wild. "Where's Ike?"

The two boys whirled around as they heard a familiar screaming sound. Kyle's eyes widened as he saw Ike, trapped inside a beam. The beam pulled him up into the air and inside a UFO hovering over the village, where he vanished.

_"IKE!" _Kyle screamed in horror.

Several other UFOs began to appear in the night sky. Beams were shot down into the village, trapping several Indians and pulling them up inside the ships as well.

"Kyle, we gotta go!" Stan shouted, but Kyle wasn't listening. He rushed in the direction of the UFO that had taken his brother, oblivious to the fighting around him.

"You bastards!" He shouted up at the UFO. "Give me back my brother right now or I'll fucking kill you!"

"Kyle!" Stan shouted, rushing towards his friend and grabbing him by the arm to try and pull him away. However, it was too late.

The beam shot down towards the two of them, entrapping them within it. Stan's eyes widened in horror, while Kyle merely narrowed his eyes angrily.

Then, the two of them were pulled up into the air and inside the spacecraft, vanishing inside.

* * *

Kenny and Annie continued running as fast as they could. Even with the distance they had made between them and the village, they knew something terrible had happened there. They could hear the screams of pain and the blaster fire, and they could tell a huge battle was taking place.

As they ran, several Indians rushed past them, vanishing into the trees in a hurry. Behind them, several sci-fi kids pursued them.

"(Come on!)" Kenny shouted, grabbing Annie's hand and turning into another direction, pulling her along with him. Looking over his shoulder, he could see a Turbo Space Grunt rushing towards them.

Pulling out his phone, Kenny quickly changed into Cyborg Kenny. As the grunt converged upon him, Kenny slammed his metal fist into his face, sending him flying backwards. He and Annie continued running.

Suddenly, the two heard shuffling in the trees above them. Looking up, they saw another grunt dive out of the branches and onto them. He landed on top of Kenny, pulling him to the ground. They rolled atop of each other, the grunt eventually pinning Kenny down. Before he could do anything, however, Annie rushed over, striking him in the back of the head with a rock. The grunt collapsed onto the ground, Annie continuing to bash him in the head.

"(Annie, let's move!)" Kenny exclaimed, grabbing her by the collar and pulling her to her feet.

As they continued to rush through the woods, they caught sight of numerous Indians, battling with the grunts in the woods. Among the Indians was Storyteller Jimmy, hobbling after some of his comrades.

"(Jimmy!)" Kenny shouted at him.

"Oh, hey Kenny!" Jimmy said, turning around to face him. "What's up?"

"(What's up?!)" Kenny replied, baffled. "(We're being attacked! We gotta get out of here!)"

"Just follow the others," Jimmy told him. "They're following Stan's mom to the Holy Road. I'll provide a d-d-distraction while you es-escape."

"Thanks, Jimmy," Annie said as Kenny yanked her forward. They followed the fleeing Indians while Storyteller Jimmy turned around to face the grunts charging towards them.

"Hello, fellas," Jimmy said to the sci-fi kids. "Would you like to hear a joke?"

". . . Huh?" One of the grunts said, confused.

"Why did the Native American hate snow?" Jimmy asked.

The grunts exchanged baffled glances with each other. "Why?" One of them asked after a pause.

"Because it's white and on his land," Jimmy answered, then cracked a large grin. "Would you like to hear another?"

". . . Uh, yeah?" Another grunt replied, unsure.

"If you say so!" Jimmy responded. "Why does a-"

* * *

"Where are we even going?" Annie asked as she and Kenny followed the Indians through the woods. "Are those Indians even gonna want us to tag along with them?"

"(It's better than staying back there!)" Kenny answered, ducking under a laser blast from one of the Space Gunners.

As they ran, several Alien Drones hovered through the woods over their heads. Their metal claws extended downwards, snapping at the heads of the fleeing kids. One of the drones blocked Kenny and Annie's paths, hovering in front of them.

Annie let out a scream as the metal claws snapped in front of her face. Kenny, however, sprang into the air, grabbing the claw and pulling the drone into the ground. Clenching his metal hand into a fist, he punched a hole into the drone's armor. As Annie watched on, Kenny grabbed the wires inside the drone, tugging onto it; as he did, the drone hovered back into the air, carrying Kenny on top of it.

Annie's jaw dropped as Kenny, using the wires, controlled the drone's movements, sending it flying back and forth. Finally, he hovered down towards Annie, extending a hand towards her.

"(Get on,)" He ordered.

Annie hesitated for only a moment. Then, she took Kenny's hand and climbed onto the drone with him.

"(Hold on,)" Kenny said. Getting behind him, Annie wrapped her arms around Kenny's waist and held on tight.

Kenny closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then, pulling onto the wires, he lifted the drone, and themselves, up above the trees.

In another moment, they were soaring into the night sky.

* * *

_Read and review._


	9. Into the Stars

_South Down: All will be revealed._

_GBond007: We'll see._

* * *

When Stan and Kyle opened their eyes, they were inside the spacecraft. As their vision returned to them, they immediately became aware of over a dozen alien Visitors surrounding them, their laser guns aimed at them.

"Seriously?" Kyle whispered in disbelief. "You guys are here, too?"

"Moo moo moo!" One of the Visitors replied, waving the gun at him.

"Ah, dammit," Stan whispered, raising his arms in surrender. "Kyle, I told you we should've left when we had the chance!"

"We couldn't leave without Ike," Kyle retorted as they got to their feet. Turning to the nearest Visitor, he said, "Where's my brother?"

"Kyle!" The boys heard Ike shout at their left. Turning to their left, they saw Ike being held by a pair of Visitors.

"Ike!" Kyle shouted in horror. Whipping out his phone, he shouted, "Let my brother go! Don't make me go Human Kite on your asses!"

Before he could make good on his threat, however, a silver blade was flung through the air. It struck Kyle's hand, knocking his phone out of his grasp. It clattered onto the ground a distance away and was picked up by a Visitor.

Clutching his wounded hand, Kyle, along with Stan, whipped their heads around to who had thrown the blade. There, they saw Space Warrior Token, and behind him, Craig, Tweek and Clyde.

"Token?!" Kyle shouted in shock. "Seriously, dude?!"

"Sorry, Kyle," Token replied. "Just making sure you don't do something you'll regret."

"Kyle's phone, please," Marine Craig said, extending his hand. The Visitor dutifully handed the phone to him, to which Craig placed it in his pocket.

"You're all working for him?" Stan asked as two Visitors restrained him and Kyle, confiscating his phone as well. "Why?"

"Craig wants to wish that people can marry who they want without being judged," Token explained. "It's a noble wish. I'm sure you can understand."

"Seriously, Craig?" Kyle asked. "That's what you're gonna waste your wish on? Nobody even judges you for dating Tweek!"

"Oh, and I'm sure your wish would be so much better," Craig replied. "What would you wish for? Something childishly optimistic, like world peace?"

Kyle opened his mouth to retort, but quickly shut it.

"Moo moo moo," One of the Visitors said, walking over to Kyle. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the map.

"It all makes sense," Stan spat. "You sent Clyde to the island. He told you we got it, and that's why you attacked us! You wanted the map!"

Craig scoffed. "Even better," He said. He gestured to Alien Clyde, who raised his phone, revealing the picture of the map. Stan and Kyle's eyes widened, then narrowed.

"He took the picture right before you arrived," Craig explained. "Then he escaped while you and the girls wasted time fighting over the real thing. All that was left was taking care of the winners and ensuring that the other people who know the map's location are dealt with."

"We don't need that stupid map anymore," Token chimed in.

"What are you gonna do?" Stan asked. "Kill us?"

"We were going to," Craig said, shrugging. "But if we killed you now, you'd probably just return to the real world and then re-enter the game. Best to keep an eye on you to make sure you don't try anything funny."

Turning to the Visitors, he ordered, "Lock 'em up!"

Quickly, the Visitors herded Stan, Kyle and Ike out of the room, Kyle shouting, "You won't get away with this, Craig! You're gonna regret messing with us!"

As Craig's gang watched them go, Tweek worriedly asked, "Um, are you sure you wanna do this? Kyle's scary when he's angry."

"Don't worry, Tweek," Craig reassured him. "We're gonna make sure they're safe and secured. With them out of the way, who's to stop us from getting the key now?"

* * *

"Did you get them all?" One of the Turbo Space Grunts asked a lesser Grunt as the sci-fi kids scoured the remains of Many Moon's Stronghold. Many of the tents were aflame and the surviving Indian kids were being herded away at laser-point.

"We got a few, but many of them escaped," The Grunt replied. "It doesn't matter anyhow. We got their leaders and they're traveling on foot. No way they'll reach the key's location before we do."

"Better get back to the UFOs, then," The Turbo Space Grunt said. "Have the prisoners escorted to the Alien Junkyard."

The Grunt nodded, but before he could relay the orders to the others, several alien eggs were hurled out of the woods and into the village. They struck several sci-fi kids, poisoning them.

"What the Hell?" The Turbo Space Grunt shouted in shock as his allies collapsed, dying.

"Attack!" A female voice shouted, and the sci-fi kids whipped around to see the girls rushing through the gates of the village. Robo Bebe fired at several grunts, hitting them in their legs, knees and arms, quickly disabling them. The Turbo Space Grunt was about to attack, only to be shot in the leg, covering it in ice. Collapsing onto the ground, he turned to see Ice Sniper Wendy, who blew smoke from the barrel of her gun.

"Get them!" He shouted to the remaining sci-fi kids. Quickly, they scrambled to counterattack, inadvertently releasing their prisoners, who took the opportunity to flee.

"Go forth and attack, my beauties!" Alien Queen Red shouted, hurling her alien eggs at the Grunts, striking and poisoning them. Robo Bebe continued firing her gun at the Space Gunners while Wendy froze others in ice.

"Retreat!" One of the gunners shouted. The remaining sci-fi kids fled in a hurry, climbing up the village walls and scrambling into the woods.

"That takes care of that," Wendy said. She turned her head towards the Turbo Space Grunt, who was clutching his frozen leg in pain.

Striding over to the grunt, she grabbed him by the collar, hoisting him up. "This is my boyfriend's stronghold, when he dresses up as a Native American, which I should note is rather insensitive," She said. "But that's besides the point. Stan had to have been here. What happened to him?"

"You think I'm gonna tell you?" The Grunt sneered.

Wendy turned to Alien Queen Red and nodded. Striding over to the Grunt, the redhead cupped his face in her hands and whispered, "You seem fertile for impregnation."

The grunt's eyes widened. "Okay, I'll talk!" He shouted immediately. "He and Kyle got beamed into the head UFO! Craig and his friends took a picture of the map at the island and wanted to deal with Stan and Kyle because they had the actual map!"

"So that's what Clyde was doing there," Bebe said. "And that's why he didn't try and take the map for myself."

Dropping the Grunt, Red said, "We gotta get to that UFO."

"But how?" Wendy asked.

"Um, ladies?" The girls heard Butters call a distance away. Turning around, their eyes widened when they saw Butters, now in his Astronaut form, who had just finished constructing a small spaceship.

"How did you-" Bebe started, stunned.

"They don't call me Astronaut Butters for nothing," He said proudly.

The girls exchanged glances. Eventually, Wendy said, "Come on!" And they quickly rushed towards the spaceship.

Hopping aboard, Butters manned the controls. "Get ready!" He said. Within seconds, the spacecraft had activated and taken off, soaring out of the village and towards the UFOs in the sky.

"This is amazing!" Bebe whispered as she stared through the window and towards the land below them. "I only wish Annie was here to experience this!"

* * *

Annie screamed as she and Kenny soared through the air on the Alien Drone. Behind them, several drones flew after them, their claws stretched towards them.

By now, they had exited the forest entirely; now, they flew over the frozen mountains. The icy wind bit into their skin as they traversed over the frosted hills and plateaus.

Fighting through her fear, Annie craned her neck to look behind them at the drones. "They're gaining on us!" She shouted to Kenny.

"(Not for long!)" He shouted. Yanking on the wires, he directed the drone towards one of the mountains, the drones following suite. Annie squeaked and buried her face in Kenny's back as they flew closer towards it. At the last second, Kenny pulled on the wires, yanking the drone upwards. Behind them, one of the drones wasn't quick enough to react and crashed into the mountain, bursting into pieces.

Pulling on the wires, Kenny and Annie soared past a plateau. "(Grab the claws!)" He ordered Annie. Obeying, she reached downwards, gripping one of the drone's claws.

As they flew through one of the icy caverns, Kenny shouted, "(Hit the stalactites!)"

Grunting, Annie flung the claw to the side, smashing it into the dozens of icy stalactites adorning the caverns, dislodging them. Behind them, the drones continued their pursuit, only for several of them to be struck and pierced by the falling ice.

As they exited the caverns, the pair were hit by a gust of icy wind. "(Can't. . . see. . .)" Kenny said, squinting his eyes through the blizzard.

As the blizzard ceased, Annie shouted, "Look out!"

Kenny's eyes widened as he saw they were heading straight for the top of a mountain. Quickly, he jerked the drone upwards, but he wasn't fast enough. The drone scraped against the tip of the mountain, ripping a large hole in the metal. Quickly, it began spiraling downwards.

"(We're going down!)" Kenny shouted as he and Annie were sent flying off the drone. Landing on the icy mountain, they tumbled down the hill before coming to a stop.

Groaning, Kenny got onto his knees. Crawling over to Annie, he whispered, "(You okay?)"

Annie breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath. "Y-Yeah," She whispered after a few moments.

Kenny sighed in relief, but snapped to attention as he saw the two remaining drones hovering over them. Their claws snapped shut as they advanced towards the pair. Getting to his feet, Kenny shielded Annie as the drones flew towards them, ready to strike.

_BAM! BAM!_

Kenny jumped as the two drones suddenly exploded in midair. He raised his arms to shield his face as he and Annie were showered in chunks of metal.

Lowering his arms, he whipped his head around, looking for who had shot the drones. Finally, his eyes landed on a kid standing a long distance down the mountain. The kid was dressed in purple motorcycle gear, complete with a helmet, concealing their face. They were holding a pistol, aimed at where the drones used to be.

For a few moments, Kenny and Annie stared at their savior, stunned. They didn't know who it was, but they suspected it must've been a kid at their school.

Finally, the masked kid spoke. "That was a close one," They said in a feminine voice, letting Kenny and Annie know it was a girl.

"(Who are you?)" Kenny asked.

"All will be revealed in time, sweetie," The girl said. "Don't get comfortable, though. Just because I saved you this time doesn't mean I'll be having your back from now on. You're gonna have to earn that key."

"(Huh?)" Kenny said, confused.

"I'll be seeing you at the end of the game," The girl said, hopping onto her motorcycle. "Assuming you have what it takes to make it to the end, that is." With that, she revved up her motorcycle and zoomed down the hill, vanishing from sight.

Kenny turned and exchanged glances with Annie, who looked equally baffled.

"(Seriously, who _was _that?)" He asked.

All Annie could do was shrug in response.

* * *

_Read and review._


	10. The Breakout

_Dragon Slaer: It was actually supposed to be a parallel between Kenny and his sister Karen._

_vh1660924: You'll have to find out. Regarding Kannie, see above._

_GBond007: Maybe._

_Guest: Perhaps._

_A/N: Funny thing, the mystery girl saving Kenny and Annie wasn't initially supposed to be in this chapter; I was planning for it to be in the next one (that is to say, this one), but just decided to add it at the last minute. Given all the talk regarding it, I suppose that was a wise decision._

* * *

Kyle groaned as he stretched his arm through the cell bars holding him, Stan and Ike, trying to grab his phone, which had been placed a small stool, just barely out of reach. No matter how far he strained, he couldn't grab it.

"Give it up, Kyle," Stan said, sitting against the wall, pouting. "You won't get it."

"I can't believe what a dick Craig is," Kyle said, gripping the cell bars. "He placed our phones right in front of us, just to taunt us. Stan, can't you hand me your hatchet or something so I can reach it?"

"And risk damaging our phones?" Stan asked. "Can't you find some other way to escape?"

"No," Kyle muttered. "If I was the Human Kite or something, getting out of here would be a piece of cake. But ninja me doesn't really work well against sci-fi."

"Well, shit," Stan said, going back to pouting.

On the other side of the room, the doors slid open, and a handcuffed Pocahontas Randy was shoved inside by a pair of Space Gunners, with Jimmy at the head. He was no longer Storyteller Jimmy, but was instead in his Enforcer Jimmy form.

"Dad?!" Stan shouted, shocked.

"Oh, hey Stan," Randy said. "Didn't think I'd find you here."

"M-M-Move it, prisoner," Enforcer Jimmy ordered, shoving Randy forward.

"Jimmy?" Kyle said, flabbergasted. "What the Hell are you doing? I thought you were on our side!"

"S-S-Sorry, fellas," Jimmy said. "But my loyalty to Craig supersedes my loyalty to you."

"Oh, dammit," Kyle grumbled, annoyed.

"Alright, get in the cell," One of the gunners said, waving his laser at Randy. As he did so, however, he felt a sharp pain in his leg, causing him to jump backwards. Looking down, he saw Gizmo Ike, looking up at him.

"Hey!" The gunner shouted. "How'd you get out of your cell?!"

Gizmo Ike didn't respond, simply staring at him silently.

"Get back in your cell," The other gunner snapped, picking up Ike. As he was about to carry him towards the cell, he, too, felt a pain in his foot, and glanced down to see another Gizmo Ike, kicking him.

"What the-" The gunner said, only to be struck across the head by yet another Gizmo Ike.

"Huh?" Kyle said in confusion as, before his eyes, the two gunners were attacked by multiple Gizmo Ikes. He glanced down to see Ike, standing by his side within the cell, then back out at the sight before him.

"What the Hell's going on?" Stan asked, equally flabbergasted.

By now, the two gunners were cowering on the ground, being beaten up by the multiple Ikes. One of the Gizmo Ikes rushed towards the stool and grabbed Stan and Kyle's phones, handing it to the two older boys.

Stan's eyes widened in realization. "They didn't take Ike's phone," He said. "He must've transformed and duplicated himself before we were locked up."

"Good thinking, Ike," Kyle said as he flipped through his phone before transforming into the Human Kite. "Now, let's bust ourselves out of here!"

With a single blast from his laser eyes, the Human Kite obliterated the cell bars. He, Stan and Ike rushed out of their containment and charged towards the door, but were stopped in their tracks by Enforcer Jimmy.

"Not so f-f-fast," Jimmy said, blocking the entrance. "If you want to get past, you'll have to go through m-m-me."

Before the boys could respond, Pocahontas Randy sprang in front of them, holding his phone. "Don't worry, Stan!" He said. "I'll save you!"

An explosion of blue engulfed the boys as Randy transformed. When the light ceased, Randy was now in his Amazingly Randy form.

"Check out this trick," The Amazingly Randy said to Jimmy, placing a handkerchief over his crotch. Shaking his hips, the form of his wiener appeared on the handkerchief before he suddenly tossed it to the side, diverting Jimmy's attention.

"Now see this!" Randy said, pulling out another handkerchief and repeating the action. As he did, he turned to Stan and the others and said, "Go! While he's distracted!"

Stan and Kyle exchanged confused glances, but nevertheless rushed out the sliding doors and into the hallways, the several Gizmo Ikes following suite.

"We gotta find the exit to this place!" Stan said as they ran.

"Not so fast!" The Human Kite replied, soaring in the air. "There's something else we have to take care of!"

* * *

In the command center of the UFO, Craig's gang, minus Jimmy, circled a table, staring down at the map.

"So. . . since we already have the picture in Clyde's phone, what do we do with this?" Token asked.

"We should destroy it," Craig suggested. "That way, no one else will be able to find the key's location."

The other boys nodded and gestured to Alien Clyde, who promptly hopped onto the table, his jaws snapping shut on the map. However, to the other boys' shock, the map didn't rip. No matter how much Alien Clyde tugged on it, it remained intact.

"Huh," Craig said, stroking his chin. "I guess whoever designed this game made the map unbreakable. Wouldn't want a cheat code damaged."

"Well what do we do with it now?" Tweek asked.

Picking up the map, Craig handed it to one of the grunts. "Toss it out of the ship," He ordered. "That way, no one will know where it is. And even if someone finds it by chance, I doubt they'll make it to the Underworld before us."

As the grunt headed off, the gang heard a loud crashing sound on another side of the UFO, followed by the ship shaking violently. "What was that?!" Token asked in alarm. Quickly, the gang rushed towards the source of the crash.

Within seconds, the group had made it to a larger section of the ship. Their eyes widened as they saw the reason for the crash; a smaller spaceship, which had smashed its way into the ship.

As the gang, flanked by several Visitors, watched on cautiously, the door of the spaceship swung open and the girls, along with Butters, hopped out of the ship.

"We're here for the map, Craig!" Robo Bebe said, cocking her gun menacingly. "Give it up, if you know what's good for you!"

Craig stared at Bebe's gun. "Well, gee, if you put it like that. . . toss it out!" He shouted, whipping his head towards the grunt holding the map. Before the girls could stop him, the grunt chucked the map out through the window.

"No!" Ice Sniper Wendy shouted in horror.

"Alright, girls, map's gone," Craig said. "Now, either you can follow suite, or you can go the cells with your boyfriend." Snapping his fingers, the Visitors readied their guns, aiming them at the girls and Butters.

"Oh, hamburgers," Butters said, hiding behind Alien Queen Red.

Despite the guns being aimed at them, Red smirked. "Not so fast," She said. "Apparently, you guys have a picture of the map. Since Clyde was the only one on the island, that must mean he has the picture, right?"

"Yeah," Clyde said, raising his phone, which had a picture of the map on it.

"So what?" Craig asked, folding his arms. "We're not giving it to you."

"You may not," Red said slyly. "But _he _will." She pointed a finger at Clyde.

"What are you talking about?" Clyde asked, confused. "I'm not-"

"Clyde, what form are you in?" Red asked, placing a hand on her hips.

". . . I'm Alien Clyde," Clyde replied. As if to prove his point, he snapped his alien jaws over his head.

"Correct," Red said, her grin growing. "And I'm an Alien _Queen_." The green tentacles with jaws attached to them swirled around her body, the jaws hissing at Clyde.

Alien Clyde's skin paled. "Oh, shit," He whispered, realizing where he stood in the pecking order.

"Now obey your queen, Clyde," Alien Queen Red ordered, stretching out her hand. "Give me the phone."

To the shock of Craig's gang, Clyde reluctantly walked over to the girls, the phone in his hands. "Clyde, what are you doing?" Token asked, flabbergasted.

"I have no choice," Clyde said, turning to stare at the rest of his gang sadly. "I'm an Alien and she's an Alien Queen. I have to do as she says."

"A good alien doesn't keep his queen waiting," Red snapped, causing Clyde to resume walking. "And since I am an Alien Queen-" She snapped her fingers, and suddenly, the Visitors turned their guns on Craig and his gang.

"Whoa, what the fuck!" Craig shouted, stunned as his minions turned on him.

"Aaugh!" Tweek shouted, hugging Craig close in fear.

"This is bullshit!" Token said, dropping his blade and raising his hands in surrender.

As Red prepared to snatch the phone from Clyde, everyone heard lasers being fired down the hallway. Sci-fi kids began rushing out of the hallway in a panic, some of them firing their guns behind them as they ran.

"Boss!" One of the gunners shouted. "There's been a breakou-" Before he could finish, a laser was fired into his back, sending him crashing onto the ground.

As everyone stared at the hallway, the Human Kite zoomed into the room, firing his laser eyes at the Visitors, knocking them back. Stan, now in his Program Stan form, soon appeared as well, followed by a mob of Gizmo Ikes. As Craig's gang and the girls watched on in shock, the Visitors were swarmed by the Gizmo Ikes, overtaken and pulled onto the ground.

"What is going on?!" Craig shouted, confused.

"Give it up, Craig!" Stan shouted, aiming his disk at him. "Where's the map!"

"It's too late!" Craig spat, narrowing his eyes at Stan. "We threw it out of the ship, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it!" As soon as the words left his mouth, he was struck by a laser blast from the Human Kite.

"You asshole, Craig!" He shouted, enraged.

Some of the Visitors turned their guns on the Human Kite, but he was too fast for them. He zipped through the air, raining laser blasts down upon them. Some of the blasts shot holes through the UFO, adding even more damage to it.

While the others were distracted by the chaos, Red took the opportunity to grab the phone from Clyde. "Come on!" She shouted to the girls, and they began to rush for the spaceship. However, the Human Kite saw them going and fired at the spaceship, causing it to explode, throwing the girls and Butters back.

"Stan!" He shouted to his friend, who was busy slicing a Visitor in half with his disk. "Freeze them!"

Program Stan nodded, raising his disk in the air, preparing to smash it into the ground to create a shockwave that would freeze his enemies. As he did, however, his eyes landed on Wendy, who was staring at him, wide-eyed.

Just like that, Stan stiffened, his disk hanging in midair. All the color drained from his face.

_"STAN!" _The Human Kite shouted, ripping through his ears.

Immediately, Stan snapped out of his thoughts and smashed his disk against the ground. A blue shockwave erupted from the ground, paralyzing everyone in its path. Craig's gang, the Visitors, and the girls were frozen still.

Not wasting a second, the Human Kite zoomed down, grabbing the phone out of the frozen Red's hand. Pulling out his own phone, he went on iCloud, quickly transferring the picture of the map onto his phone.

"Come on, hurry!" Stan shouted. He knew the others wouldn't stay frozen much longer.

"And. . . done!" The Human Kite exclaimed as he finished transferring the image. Tossing Clyde's phone away, he flew towards Stan and the original Gizmo Ike, grabbing them and carrying them into the air. Blasting a hole through the windows, he flew out, along with his posse, just as the others were unfrozen.

"Goddammit!" Craig shouted as he saw his enemies escape the ship.

By this point, the UFO was beginning to spiral downwards, unable to stay in the air after all the damage it had taken. Many of the sci-fi kids and Visitors were rushing to the escape pods. With their spaceship destroyed, the girls followed suite.

"Come on, Wendy!" Red was shouting, pulling the dark-haired girl along the hallway. Wendy's face was blank, the only emotion coming from her eyes, which were widened in shock.

"Stan. . ." She whispered.

"That's not important!" Butters said, joining Red in pulling Wendy to one of the pods. "We gotta get out of here!"

Meanwhile, Tweek was doing the same thing to Craig. "Come on!" He shouted, pulling his boyfriend towards another escape pod. Craig's face was red with anger, but he followed, along with the rest of his gang, hopping into the pod.

"I swear, we're gonna get those bastards!" He growled as they were ejected out of the UFO.

Only seconds after they had ejected, the UFO crashed into the ground.

In the air, the Human Kite, Stan and Ike watched as the spacecraft exploded into fiery pieces. "That was a close one," Stan whispered, holding onto the Human Kite. "Glad we made it out of that one."

"But Stan," The Human Kite said. "What about your dad?"

"Oh, yeah, him," Stan replied dismissively, shifting his eyes. "He probably died in the explosion. How unfortunate."

As the words left his mouth, the boys heard a familiar voice call out, "Hey, Stan!" Whipping their heads around in shock, the boys saw the Amazingly Randy floating through the air, hanging onto two flying roosters.

"I summoned two cocks to save myself!" He called out to them as he floated past them. "Isn't that amazing?"

Stan sighed. "Let's just go and find mom," He said, an exhausted tone in his voice.

With that, the Human Kite flew towards the Holy Road to rendezvous with Sharon, Randy following closely behind them.

* * *

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	11. On the Road to Adventure

_South Down: Kind of forgot about him._

_GBond007: Don't worry; you'll get it._

* * *

After what seemed like ages, Stan, Kyle, Ike and Randy finally reached the rendezvous point on the Holy Road. As they arrived, they were met with Sharon and some of the surviving Indians.

"Stanley!" Sharon cried as the boys landed on the ground, rushing up to hug her son. "You're okay!"

"Hey, I'm here, too," The Amazingly Randy piped in as the cocks dropped him unceremoniously.

"Yeah, sure," Sharon said dismissively before turning her attention back to Stan. "I was so worried about you! I thought you were captured, or worse!"

"We're fine, mom," Stan reassured her. "We got some good news, too. We lost the map, but Kyle uploaded a picture of it onto his phone. We can still make it."

"Well then there's no time to waste!" Kyle declared. "We have to get going before Craig or the Girls catch up to us."

Stan frowned. He still remembered the look on Wendy's face when he had struck against her for the second time since they'd started the game. It made him uncomfortable having to be enemies with her in the game, but he felt like he didn't have a choice.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when one of the Indian Braves said, "What are we gonna do? We can't just walk the whole way to the key. It's way past our bedtime, anyways."

"Yeah, we need to find a place to stay for the night," A hunter agreed.

"What are we gonna do, chief?" Another brave asked Stan.

Stan grimaced. "Well, first of all. . . you guys are gonna have to change costumes," He told them. "A bunch of Indians fit back at the forest, but you're gonna stick out like sore thumbs in this setting."

The Indians murmured among each other. "Yeah, he's got a point," One of the braves said. "We're Campaign kids. We gotta roll with what fits the setting." Whipping out his phone, he changed into a Holy Defender. The other Indians did the same.

"Now, then," Stan said, turning to Kyle. "Show us the map. There's gotta be somewhere nearby we can stay at."

Kyle obeyed, pulling out his phone and revealing the photo of the map. Looking through it, Stan's eyes landed on a church that the Holy Road led to.

"Hey, it's Father Maxi's church!" Stan pointed out. "He'll have to welcome a bunch of lost souls looking for a safe haven!"

"Yeah!" Randy said. "Let's go there!"

The large group of kids shouted in agreement. They immediately set off down the Holy Road, but Kyle stayed where he was.

"Kyle, aren't you coming?" Stan asked, confused.

Kyle shrugged. "Eh. . . I'll stay back and make sure nobody's following us," He told Stan. "I'll catch up with you tomorrow."

"Kyle, it could be dangerous," Stan reminded him, concerned. "Craig. . . the girls. . ."

"Trust me, Stan, I'm the best equipped to handle any trouble," Kyle reassured him. Turning out, he took flight, soaring away.

Stan frowned, upset to see his friend set off on his own. However, he heard Sharon call out, "Stan!" And reluctantly turned to follow the group down the road.

_I hope you're right, Kyle, _he thought as he caught up with the others.

* * *

Alien Clyde gulped as he was met with a series of angry glares from Craig, Tweek and Token as soon as they exited their escape pod outside the forest.

"Okay, so I _might _of screwed-up back there-" He started, but was cut off by Craig striking his alien helmet, nearly knocking him over.

"Screwed-up is an understatement!" He snapped angrily. "What the Hell was that back there?! You gave your phone to the enemy, and now Kyle has a replacement map!"

"I had no choice!" Clyde defended himself. "I was an Alien, and she's an Alien Queen! She outranks me!"

"Then why didn't you just switch costumes!" Token asked, frustrated.

Clyde opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. He realized, to his embarrassment, that Token had a point.

Nearby, Enforcer Jimmy and Mecha Timmy approached the gang. "C-Come on, fellas," Jimmy said, hoping to diffuse the situation. "You still have a picture of the map."

"Yeah, but now Stan and his friends are ahead of us!" Craig pointed out.

"Hey, they can't have gotten that far," Token said. "Why don't we send someone to find their location and report back to us?"

Craig thought it over for a moment. "You may be on to something," He replied. "We'll go on the Holy Road. Meanwhile, we'll send someone with flying abilities to scout out the area."

"Hey, I've already done enough solo missions," Clyde said.

"After your screw-up?" Craig snapped. "Please. I'm putting this mission in the hands of someone more trustworthy." Turning to Tweek, he pointed a finger at him.

Tweek's eyes widened. "Me?!" He shouted, incredulous. "How can I-"

"One of your forms can fly," Craig reminded him. "You can scout out the area and report the location of Stan and the others. And I know you can deal with anyone who tries to mess with you."

Tweek bit his lip, but nodded. "A-Alright, Craig," He said. "See you tomorrow!" Whipping out his phone, he transformed into Imp Tweek and took to the sky, soaring off into the air.

Craig sighed heavily as he watched Tweek soar off. After a few moments, he turned to his gang.

"Well, what are we all standing around here for?" He asked. "Let's get a move on."

* * *

In the icy mountains, Kenny and Annie trudged through the snow. To better acclimate with his surroundings, Kenny had transformed into his Inuit form. Annie didn't have an equivalent form, and shivered in the cold.

"So, you didn't come here with your friends?" Annie asked Kenny as the two searched for shelter.

Kenny shook his head. "(I couldn't afford the headphones,)" He explained. "(They had to play without me. Luckily someone loaned me a pair, but I still have to catch up to them.)"

"That sucks," Annie replied sympathetically. "I got separated from my friends. I have no idea where they are. Kind of why I'm traveling with you now."

"(Hm,)" Kenny said. At that moment, his eyes caught sight of a small cave inside the mountain.

"(Look!)" He shouted, pointing at the cave. "(We can stay there for the night!)" Grabbing Annie by the wrist, he dragged her towards the cave. The two rushed inside the large cavern, stopping once they were far enough inside that they could no longer see the exit.

"This looks cozy," Annie said, plopping onto her bottom. "What are we gonna do in the morning?"

"(In the morning, we're going to go out and find our friends,)" Kenny replied with a determined tone. "(But for now, you get some rest. You need it after everything that's happened to you.)"

Annie yawned. "Yeah, that sounds nice," She said, laying down on her side. The ground was hard and icy, but it was better than nothing.

"I hope I find Wendy and the others soon," She whispered as she began to doze off. "Then we can find the key together."

Kenny stared off into the distance, Annie's last words floating in his ears. _The key._

_I hope I find that key, _he thought to himself as he lay down next to Annie. _For you, Karen._

* * *

The girl let out a deep sigh as she got off her motorcycle in another section of the icy mountains. Removing her helmet, she let her long hair fall free as she took a seat next to her bike.

For a few moments, she tried to catch her breath. Even she wasn't immune to fatigue, especially after riding such a long distance. However, she knew she couldn't rest for long. She had to keep track of the other players.

"Alright, let's take a look," She whispered, tapping a few buttons on her wrist. Immediately, a digital hologram of the game world materialized above her wrist, with tiny dots indicating a player.

"Hmm," She said, scanning the dots. With another click of a button, she summoned a keyboard hologram. Quickly, she typed out Kenny McCormick's name. Instantly, one of the dots in the icy mountains glowed brightly.

"There you are," She said. "You have a long way to go, Kenny. How about we check on some other familiar faces?"

She typed out Kyle Broflovski's name. Another dot, moving rapidly from the Holy Road to the desert, glowed. The girl furrowed her eyebrows, and then typed Eric Cartman's name. Another dot, in another section of the desert, glowed.

A grin spread across the girl's face as an idea formed in her head. "Now that's a thought," She whispered. Pressing a button, she caused the hologram to vanish.

Putting on her helmet, the girl jumped onto the bicycle. "Alright, girl, get a grip," She said as she revved up the engines. "You have a long day ahead of you."

With that, she rode off down the mountains and towards the desert.

* * *

_Read and review._


	12. Evil Closes In

_GBond007: Prepare to keep scratching, then._

_Walter Bryan Cranston White: You'll find out._

_South Down: Eh._

* * *

"There it is!" Stan called out as he spotted Father Maxi's church a distance ahead by the side of the Holy Road. It was far away, but its large size and the cross at the top were unmistakable.

The group immediately cheered and picked up pace, desperate to reach a safe spot after all the trouble they had experienced.

Suddenly, a small blonde boy wielding two bells jumped out from behind a bush and on the road, blocking the group's path. "Halt!" He cried out. "Who goes there!"

The group briefly froze. "Don't worry, guys, it's just a choirboy," Stan reassured the rest of the group. Approaching the choirboy, he said, "Look kid, we got attacked earlier tonight, and we need a place to stay."

The choirboy continued to maintain a suspicious eye. "There are a lot of unsavoury characters playing this game," He told them. "How do I know a large group like yourselves won't attract trouble? We don't want harm to come to this holy place." As he spoke, several more choirboys appeared out of the bushes.

Raising his arms, Stan said, "I promise you, we won't bring trouble. We just need-"

"Children, stop!" A voice called out from the entrance of the church. The group turned their heads to see Priest Maxi standing at the gates of the church, a concerned look on his face.

"What seems to be the problem, children?" He asked, concerned.

"This group says they were attacked," The choirboy explained. "They want to stay here."

"Well in that case, why turn them away?" Maxi responded. "These are lost and helpless souls, and we entered this game specifically to help people like these."

"But Father, what if whoever attacked them comes here?" One of the choirboys asked.

"Then may God help the souls who do," Maxi replied. Turning to the group, he said, "Let's not waste anymore time. If you want a place to stay, you've found it."

The group let out a chorus of "Hooray!" and quickly rushed into the church, exhausted after their battle and long travel.

"This is a relief," Stan said, letting out a sigh as he entered the church. "Good thing Father Maxi let us in."

Standing at his side, Randy commented under his breath, "Yeah, I bet the priest was really glad to let a bunch of little boys inside." He and Sharon both stifled a chuckle, while Stan just glared at them.

"Well, since we're gonna be staying here for a bit, might as well get my Sexy Nun costume," Randy said, pulling out his phone and heading off. Stan watched him go before grimacing, taking a seat in one of the long chairs.

"Stanley, what's wrong?" Sharon asked, taking a seat next to him.

"It's Kyle," Stan replied. "I'm worried about him. He told me he was going to make sure no one was following us, but honestly, I feel like he didn't join us because he didn't feel comfortable here. And now he's all out there, alone."

"Stanley, I'm sure Kyle can fend for himself out there," Sharon reassured him, placing a hand on his back.

Stan sighed and stared out the window. "I hope you're right," He said.

* * *

Outside the church, Imp Tweek hovered in the air a distance away, his pitchfork trembling in his hands.

He'd seen the small group enter the church, and had singled out Stan and his parents, but saw no sign of Kyle. He'd wracked his brain for a few moments before concluding that Kyle probably wouldn't have been eager to enter the Catholic church.

Which meant he must've separated from the group.

"Aargh!" He groaned loudly. "What do I do?" Even if he went back and informed Craig and his gang on Stan's whereabouts, what then? The last thing he wanted to do was start a fight at a church of all places.

Then it hit him. Kyle was separated from the group, and he was the one with the picture of the map downloaded onto his phone. If he got Kyle's phone, or better yet, Kyle, Stan's group would be deprived of both their map and one of their most powerful members.

It'd be killing two birds with one stone.

"Alright, Tweek," He said to himself. "Find Kyle, deal with him, then return to Craig's group. No pressure."

Turning and beginning to fly off, he mumbled to himself, "Well, unless Kyle beats me. That'd be a lot of pressure. Or if Craig and his gang makes it here without me. Or worse, I'm away for too long and they get worried and can't think straight! Oh man, that's a lot of pressure! Oh geez!"

* * *

Ever since Kyle had briefly separated from the rest of the group, he'd been scouring the Holy Road from above in his Human Kite form. While he'd seen several other characters, he hadn't come across any of the Girls or Craig's Gang. While he was sure they were trailing Stan's gang, they didn't appear to be on the Holy Road.

As he was about to turn around and head back to rendezvous with Stan and the others, he heard a voice down below calling out, "Hello! I have a bounty for anyone who wants to collect!"

Swooping downwards, Kyle quickly hid himself behind a bush. Peaking out, he noticed a kid his age dressed in a purple motorcycle gear, wearing a helmet that concealed their face.

"I'm issuing a bounty!" The girl was calling out to no one in particular, pacing around the road. "Anybody interested in collecting?"

Kyle raised an eyebrow. _Bounty? _

It was then that he realized one of his forms was that of a Bounty Hunter. Slowly, he pulled out his phone and switched into his Bounty Hunter Kyle form, then got out of hiding and approached the girl hesitantly.

"Uh, hello?" He said, a little nervously.

The girl turned to face him. "Kyle Broflovski!" She exclaimed, rushing up to him. Her helmet concealed her expression, but he could tell she was ecstatic to see him.

"Uh, do I know you?" Kyle asked as the girl got within arms length of him.

"You could say that," She replied. Her voice sounded familiar, like he'd heard it before, but he couldn't put his finger on where.

"Um, anyways," He said. "You said you were issuing a bounty?"

When the girl nodded, he said, "Well, I'm a bounty hunter." He waved his gun in the air for proof.

"I know," The girl replied. "And I'm glad I found you, because I know you're the best-suited to go after the target in question." Raising her arm, she pressed a few buttons on her wrist. Instantly, a hologram picture of Eric Cartman materialized.

Kyle's eyes widened and he stepped back. "C-Cartman?" He exclaimed, stunned.

The girl nodded and, with a press of the button, the picture disappeared. "I want you to go after him," She told him. "In exchange, I'll grant you one of my spells." For proof, she pulled a handful of spell icons out of her pocket.

"You want me to bring him in?" Kyle asked.

"Dead," The girl replied bluntly.

Kyle blinked. "Dead or alive, you mean?" He asked for clarification.

"Dead," The girl repeated in a darker tone.

Kyle felt his skin pale. He'd used deadly force before against Craig's minions, but that was in self-defence. This girl was telling him to hunt down and murder another player in cold blood, even if it was his worst enemy.

"I. . . I dunno if I can. . ." He said, rubbing the back of his helmet. He was about to turn around, but the girl grabbed him by the shoulder and whirled him around to face him.

"You're not thinking big enough, Kyle," The girl told him. "Think about it. If Cartman gets his hands on that key, who knows what he'll wish for? Another holocaust? To revive Hitler? Bring back Cthulhu and destroy the world!"

"Well, I doubt he'll get the key," Kyle replied nervously, even as he began to picture those events. "I mean, me and my friends are way ahead of him."

"But it's not impossible," The girl reminded him. "As long as he's in this game, he has a chance to get that key. You know better than anyone the kind of damage Cartman can cause. This isn't just a game; this is a matter of life or death!"

Kyle froze, letting the girl's words sink in. She was right; as long as Cartman was playing, he had just as much of a chance of getting that key as any of them. And if he succeeded, who knows _what _he'd wish for?

"Does it have to be me?" He asked.

"You are Cartman's nemesis," The girl told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You know how to handle him better than anyone. If anyone can take him out, it's you. Besides, he won't really be dead; he'll just wake up back in the real world."

Kyle looked down, considering her words. Finally, he let out a sigh and said, "Alright. I'll collect your bounty."

Kyle could feel the girl smile behind her visor. "Great," She said, and raised her arm. Summoning her hologram of the game world, she typed in Cartman's name, causing his dot to glow in the desert a distance away from the Holy Road.

"That's where he is," She informed Kyle. "With your flight, you should make it there in no time. Once you've taken him out, bring his body to me. I'll be travelling on the Holy Road."

"Okay then," Kyle said, groaning.

"It's a date, then," The girl replied coolly, pressing a button and causing the hologram to vanish. "I'll be seeing you around then." Hopping onto her motorcycle, she rode off down the road.

Kyle watched her leave, then turned around and stared off in the direction Cartman was.

With a sigh, he whispered, "I'm sorry, Cartman, but I have to save the people I care about."

With that, he activated his jetpack and flew off towards the desert.

* * *

When Kenny awoke, Annie was snuggled close to him for warmness. He wasn't sure how long they'd slept, but regardless, he felt it was about time they resumed moving. He was sure the other players weren't lying around resting.

As he was about to sit up, his eyes caught sight of a small object floating towards the two of them, carried by the winds. As it got closer, Kenny saw that it was a piece of paper. As it flew by, he reached up and snatched it out of the air. Holding it in both hands, Kenny stared down at it curiously.

It was the map.

"(Annie, wake up,)" He said, nudging her awake. The blonde girl groaned as she was pulled out of her dreams, but her eyes immediately regained focus as they landed on the map in Kenny's hands.

"Ohmygosh!" She shouted, springing up. "Kenny!"

"(What?)" He asked.

"It's the map!" Annie exclaimed, pointing at it. "The map of the game! The one that tells you where to find the key!" She pulled the map out of his hands.

"See?" She said, pointing at the icy mountains. "That's where we are. And down below, in the Underworld, is where the key is."

"(Really?)" Kenny exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"How did this thing get here?" Annie asked. "I thought your friends had it."

"(It must have gotten lost when Craig and the others attacked the stronghold,)" Kenny suggested. "(But that's not important! We have the map! What are we waiting for? Let's go!)"

Grabbing Annie by the wrist, Kenny began to rush out of the icy cave. "(I'm so happy!)" He exclaimed joyously. "(Finally, things are beginning to look up!)"

Then, as the two exited the cave, they froze in their tracks.

Lower on the mountain, staring up at the two with menacing glares, were a pair of Subzero Titans.

"We were scouting these mountains when I saw the map float into the cave," One of the titans whispered. "And it looks like that wasn't the only thing we found in that cave."

"(Oh, shit,)" Kenny whispered.

"Now then," The other titan said, clenching his metal hand tightly into a fist. "We can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way. What's it gonna be?"

Annie hid behind Kenny, frightened. The blond boy held the map in his hands, holding it close.

The two Subzero Titans smirked to each other. "We were hoping you'd choose the hard way," The first one whispered.

And with that, the two closed in.

* * *

_Read and review._


	13. Avalanche

_South Down: Indeed._

_vh1660924: Kyle's a guilt-ridden character; he felt bad about destroying Cartman's electronics once he found out he wasn't skankhunt42. I don't think it's that OOC that he'd be hesitant about killing him, even if he wasn't "really" killing him._

_GBond007: Maybe._

_I am a burglar: Been a while since I've seen you._

_Blackpanthaa: Uuh..._

* * *

Kenny and Annie clutched each other protectively as the two older, larger boys closed in. The Subzero Titans snapped their metal claws threateningly as they approached the pair, clearly relishing the power they had over them.

Before Kenny or Annie could react, one of the titans sprang nearly a dozen feet into the air before plunging down towards them. Snapping out of their trance, the two jumped to avoid being crushed under the titan's feet. As he landed, a shockwave rippled from the ground, sending the two of them flying through the air, landing roughly in the icy snow.

Kenny groaned as he pushed himself off the ground. Craning his head around, he saw Annie, facedown in the snow, unmoving. Slowly, his eyes narrowed as anger coursed through his veins. As the other titan strode over to him, Kenny unexpectedly sprung to his feet, a chunk of ice in his hand. He hurled the chunk into the titan's masked face, sending him tumbling backwards and crashing into the ground.

"Hey!" The other titan shouted, enraged at seeing his comrade struck by the smaller boy. He charged towards Kenny, slamming into him with the force of a freight train. He smashed him against the wall of the cave entrance, sending ice and snow flying in all directions. Above them, the mountain rumbled slightly.

As the titan stepped backwards, Kenny groaned in pain, sliding down the wall and onto the ground. The titan loomed over him, and raised his foot over his head. Before he could bring it down, however, he felt a sharp pain shoot through his leg. Yelping, he collapsed onto the ground. Looking a his leg, he saw Annie, sinking her teeth into his skin.

"Little bitch!" He snarled. Reaching out, he snatched Annie's large, curly hair, yanking her off his leg. Using his arm, he pinned her to the ground, raising his metal fist up in the air. Annie punched and kicked, but the titan was too powerful.

Getting to his feet, the dazed Kenny saw the titan preparing to strike the blonde. "(Annie!)" He shouted, and rushed to intervene.

Alas, he was too late.

The titan brought his metal fist down, slamming it dead-center into Annie's chest. The force of the glow caused the girl's enter body to flail in agony, and a scream escaped her lips. At that moment, Kenny tackled the titan, sending both boys flying through the air.

Annie tried to get up, only to feel a sharp pain shooting in her chest. Looking down, she saw a patch of ice on her chest, where the titan had struck her. Her eyes widened as, rapidly, the ice spread across her body.

"Kenn-" She started, but was cut off as her mouth was frozen solid.

Kenny was currently on top of the titan, punching him in the face repeatedly. He whipped his head over in Annie's direction, and a gasp escaped his lips as he saw the girl had been transformed into an ice statue.

"(No,)" He whispered in horror.

His momentary pause allowed the titan to kick him off of him. "Your little girlfriend won't save you now," He sneered as he and the other titan approached the downed Kenny.

"That map will be ours," The other titan said, cracking his knuckles. "And so will you." To spook the smaller boy, he slammed his metal fist into the ground, sending another shockwave through the mountain.

As Kenny looked up, dazed, he noticed drops of snow and ice falling onto him. Glancing upwards, he saw the icy mountaintop starting to shake, no doubt from all the fighting occurring below it. More and more snow began to rain down, but the titans were too focused on Kenny to notice.

The blond's eyes glistened as an idea sprang to mind. Getting up, he rushed towards the walls of the cave entrance.

"Don't think your puny little legs will get you far!" One of the titans snarled. "There's no way you can escape us!" He and his friend charged after Kenny.

The parka-wearing boy narrowed his eyes as the two titans rushed towards him, preparing to crush him against the wall. He waited until they were a second away from him.

Then, he jumped to the side.

The two titans were running too fast to change directions. The mountain quaked as the pair slammed headfirst into the icy wall, sending snow and ice pellets flying through the air.

Dazed from the blow, the two titans flopped onto their backs. Groaning, one of them craned their eyes opened and stared up at the sky.

Once he did, his eyes widened in horror.

At the top of the mountain, the large amount of ice and snow attached to the mountaintop were dislodged. Like a tidal wave, it plunged down towards the mountain. The two titans were so dazed that they couldn't get out of the way in time.

Kenny, meanwhile, had scooped up the still-frozen Annie and was rushing down the mountain as fast as he could. Behind him, he could hear the two titans let out a brief scream that was abruptly ended as they were buried by the avalanche. As he ran, it occurred to him that he hadn't thought of how he and Annie would escape.

Running as fast as he could, Kenny could hear, and feel, the avalanche chasing him like a pack of ravenous wolves. He was practically at the bottom of the mountain when it finally caught up to him.

With a scream, he and Annie were consumed by the snowslide.

* * *

Butters rubbed his knuckles together nervously as he hesitantly trailed behind the three girls as they wandered through a meadow.

Ever since their escape pod had landed in the Mystic area, the small group had been wandering aimlessly, hoping to find someone who could give them directions. Butters could feel the anger radiating off the three girls, especially Wendy, but he said nothing, lest they direct it at him. He was, after all, an outsider among the group.

Finally, Bebe exclaimed, "I can't believe those stupid boys got the better of us! Again!"

"There's no need to dwell on it, Bebe," Red replied. She seemed to be taking things the best out of the three. "Unless they get the key, it's not all over for us."

"Not all over for us?" Bebe asked, turning to face the redhead. "First we let the map slip out of our hands, then we lose Annie, and then we let the map slip out of our hands again! I'm sorry, but if it's not all over for us, it soon will be!"

At that moment, Butters felt the need to interject. "Well, hey ladies," He started. "Things may seem bad now, but who knows, they can get better."

Wendy, who'd been silent up to that point, retorted angrily. "And how do you suppose we'll do that?!" She snapped. "You got some master plan you can pull out of your ass that'll help?!"

Dejected, Butters shrunk away, looking down.

"Hey there," Red said, wrapping an arm around Butters and pulling him close protectively. "That is no way to talk to our, blond, naive, innocent Butters!" She shot a disapproving glare at Wendy, placing her chin on top of Butters' head.

Wendy sighed. "I'm sorry, Butters," She said. "It's just. . . I'd expect this bullshit from Cartman, but so far, all of our troubles have been caused by Stan and Kyle of all people. It's just kind of off-putting. And to make matters worse, we lost Annie."

"I'm real sorry about that," Butters mumbled. "If there was a way I could help, I would."

At that moment, an older boy in a white suite happened to pass by. "Hello there," He called out to the small group. "You look like you're lost. You need a hand?"

The girls stared at the boy, and Red saw that he was holding a book titled _The Book of Mormon. _"Guys, it's a missionary," She whispered to them.

"What do we do?" Bebe whispered in response.

Butters, meanwhile, strode up to the Mormon Missionary. "Hello there," He said. "Um, do you happen to know where we could find a place of shelter?"

"Why, sure I do," The missionary replied. "About a mile from here, you'll find the Holy Road. If you follow it, you'll soon make it to Father Maxi's church. In fact, a rather large group made it there not too long ago. They were led by a boy wearing black armor with glowing blue markings."

That got the girls' attention. "Jackpot," Wendy whispered.

"Thanks for the directions," Butters said to the boy.

"Not a problem," The missionary replied cheerfully. "If you excuse me, though, I have to be on my way. I still have hours of humanitarian and community services to attend to." He strode off, holding the Book of Mormon close to his chest.

"What a nice guy," Butters said as he turned around to face the girls, only to see them all grinning wickedly.

"W-What?" He asked, confused.

"Come on, Butters!" Red exclaimed, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him as she and the girls headed in the direction of the Holy Road. "We have some church service to attend to!"

* * *

Kyle sighed as he wandered through the barren desert. After his meeting with the mysterious girl, he had shifted from his Bounty Hunter form to his Gunslinger one to stand out less in the Wild West.

A part of him still felt queasy as he neared Cartman's location. Even with the sound logic the girl had given him, something about seeking Cartman out to murder him rubbed him the wrong way, even if he knew Cartman wouldn't actually die.

"Come on, Kyle," He said to himself. "The fatass deserves it. Heck, he deserves worse than whatever punishment you could dish out on him."

As he walked, he couldn't help but feel he was being watched. He turned around to look behind him, but all he saw was a string of cacti and hills. Hesitantly, he continued on his way.

"Why do I feel paranoid?" He mumbled to himself. "After all, I'm the one who's planning to commit-"

_BOOM!_

Before Kyle could react, he was sent flying by a large explosion that had erupted from behind him. He landed on the ground roughly, his cape sizzling from the explosion.

"What. . . the Hell. . ." He whispered, groaning in pain as he sat up. His eyes focused, and he caught sight of none other than Outlaw Tweek, peeking out from behind one of the cactuses, holding a slingshot with a stick of dynamite attached.

"Surrender or die!" He shouted, a crazed look in his eyes. Before Kyle could respond, Tweek let out a loud cry and launched the dynamite at him.

Kyle screamed as he doze out of the way, narrowly avoiding the explosion. "Tweek, dude, I don't have time for this!" He shouted, jumping behind a cactus. "I'm on an important mission!"

"You have the picture of the map on your phone!" Tweek yelled at him. "I can't let you go back to your group! You're coming with me or else!"

Kyle groaned, annoyed. Whipping out his pistols, he dove out from his hiding spot, firing at Tweek. One of the bullets grazed Tweek's shoulder, eliciting a shout of pain from him.

"Please, Tweek, I don't want to hurt you!" Kyle told him as he aimed the gun at him. "I'm after someone else!"

Fighting through his pain, Tweek launched another stick of dynamite. His injured shoulder impaired his aiming, causing the dynamite to land a distance away from Kyle, but the force of the explosion was nonetheless strong enough to knock Kyle onto the ground.

Groaning, Kyle sat upwards, and saw that his guns had been knocked a distance away. Before he could reach them, Tweek launched another dynamite stick at them, blowing them to pieces. Then, he turned and aimed his slingshot at Kyle.

"Shit," Kyle whispered. His only option was to transform, but could he do it quick enough before Tweek fired?

As the two boys stared each other down, Kyle noticed Tweek look up from him. Then, he saw Tweek's skin pale, and his eyes widen in horror at whatever he was staring at. His jaw dropped and the slingshot slipped out of his hands.

"The President!" He shouted in terror. "Gaaah!"

And with that, Tweek took off in the opposite direction, running as fast as he could.

Kyle stood up and watched Tweek flee, a confused look on his face. "What the Hell?" He said.

It was then that he noticed a shadow looming over him. Whipping around, he looked up, and his eyes, too, widened.

There, wearing a cape and mask, and holding a sabre, was none other than Swordsman Garrison.

"Gee, I don't know what got him so spooked," Garrison said, twirling his sabre before resting it on his shoulder. "It's not like he was Canadian or Mexican or anything."

". . . Mr. Garrison?" Kyle said, surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to make this country great again," The President replied casually. "Well, at least once I get my hands on that key. Might fuck a couple people to death along the way."

". . . Yeah," Kyle replied, not really knowing how to respond.

An awkward silence ensued. "So, what are you doing out here?" Garrison asked.

"I'm looking to collect a bounty," Kyle replied.

"Oh, a bounty?" The President replied. "That sounds fun. And who are you collecting?"

"Cartman," Kyle replied.

"Well he's not hard to find," Garrison told him. "There's a town not too far from here. Word is he and his friends were heading there. I'll take you there myself."

"Really?" Kyle asked. "Gee, thanks."

"Don't mention it," Garrison said. "I could use a little entertainment out there. It's the Wild West, for Pete's sake."

With that, the two set off towards the town.

* * *

_Read and review._


	14. Mano-a-mano

_GBond007: We'll see._

_vh1660924: The girls are basically using Butters to fill the void left by Annie and projecting their feelings towards her onto him. _

_South Down: Well he was bound to show up eventually._

* * *

"Cartman, no offense, but what exactly are we doing here?" Scott Malkinson asked as he, Cartman and Barrel Dougie strode into a town in the Wild West.

"Number one, to get as far away from whatever the Hell _that _was back at the forest," Cartman replied, referring to the massive battle that had occurred between the Indians and the sci-fi kids not too long ago. "Number two, since we don't have the map, we need another way to gather information on the key's whereabouts."

The three headed over to a saloon. "Alright, you guys, better let the sheriff handle this," Cartman told the other two. With that, he barged into the saloon, causing the guests to jump a bit in alarm.

"Alright, you guys, listen up!" He shouted at the patrons in the saloon. "There's a new sheriff in town! I wear the badge here, so what I say goes!"

One of the patrons, Premise Running Thin, hopped off his seat and approached Cartman. "Hey," He said, offended. "You can't just barge in here and-"

Before he could finish, Cartman snapped his fingers, and Barrel Dougie rolled over and fired his red boxing glove into Premise's gut. The small Indian doubled over in pain, collapsing onto the ground instantly.

"Anyone else?" Sheriff Cartman barked. After some hesitation, the other patrons all turned away meekly.

Cartman smirked. "Yeah, that's what I thought," He said.

Striding over to the bar counter, Cartman took a seat and placed his arm on the counter. "Alright, bub, I'll have a small glass," He ordered. "No more, no less."

"Sure thing, sheriff," Skeeter replied, heading back to get the drink.

While he waited, Cartman craned his neck over to the patron sitting next to him. Immediately, his eyes narrowed.

"Hey," He said gruffly to the patron. "I don't recall girls being allowed in saloons."

Staring at her phone, Calamity Heidi narrowed her eyes, annoyed. "I don't recall girls _not _being allowed," She replied curtly, flipping through some of the spells on her phone.

"They are now," Cartman replied harshly. "Get your scrawny ass out of here."

Spinning around to face him, Heidi snarled, "You looking to tussle?!"

"I would, but clearly there ain't anyone here worth the time!" Cartman retorted. "And if you're smart, you'll realize that, too."

"I'm smart _and _funny!" Heidi yelled.

"Yeah, you're one of those things!" Cartman snapped. "Too bad it's not the one that matters!"

"You are such an unbelievable asshole!" Heidi shouted as she hopped out of her seat. "You know what, I'm done! See you at the end of the game, loser!" With that, she stormed out of the saloon. Nearby, Scott and Dougie flinched.

"Uh, sheriff, that won't come back to haunt us, right?" Dougie asked.

"What the Hell are you talking about?" Cartman asked. "Of course it won't!"

By that point, Skeeter had returned. "Got your drink, sheriff," He said, sliding it down the counter to him. Quickly, Cartman snatched it up and took a sip.

"Nice," He said, grinning. Leaning against the counter, he furrowed his eyebrows and lowered his voice. "Now then, the _real _reason I'm here."

"Oh?" Skeeter asked, rubbing a glass with a handkerchief.

"I understand quite a few people are just in this game for fun," Cartman said. "But I'm here for more important matters. We're looking for the _key_." At that, all the patrons turned their heads in Cartman's direction, their eyes wide.

"Me and my boys went on a journey to acquire the map that tells you the key's location," Cartman said. "We fought bravely, but in the end, it was just barely snatched from us. Now we're here to see if anyone can point us in the right direction, so we can finish what we started."

For a few moments, there was an eerie silence in the saloon. Finally, someone spoke up.

"Yeah, I can tell ya," A voice said from the dark corner of the saloon.

Cartman, Scott and Dougie spun around to the source of the voice. There, sitting alone at the table, was the Old Farmer, a glass of water in his hands.

Cartman exchanged glances with his comrades, then headed down the saloon and took a seat with the Old Farmer. "What do you know?" He asked, curious.

"They say that not too far from here, you'll enter the Mystical part of the game," The Old Farmer said. "With saints, and angels, and priests. There, you follow the Holy Road, and eventually, you'll reach the Fantasy part, and after that, the Underworld. That's where you'll find it."

"Holy Road," Cartman whispered. "Great! Me and my boys will get there and-"

"But I warn you," The Old Farmer said, halting Cartman's speech. "While you're on that Holy Road, you may meet things that are entirely _unholy_."

"What do you mean?" Cartman asked.

"There are sayings," The Old Farmer whispered, gazing into his drink solemnly. "Sayings that everyone here is just a pawn. A pawn in a much larger scheme. Most people here think they're playing a game, and whoever gets the key wins. But in reality, whoever gets the key may end up being the biggest loser of them all." Without saying another word, he stood up and left the saloon, leaving Cartman at the desk.

Scott and Dougie approached Cartman hesitantly. "What do you think he meant by that?" Scott asked.

Cartman narrowed his eyes. "Ah, he's probably just trying to scare everyone off so he can take the key for himself," He dismissed. "Too bad I'm too smart for that! Now then, let's go and find that Holy Road!"

"Not so fast!"

The three boys whirled towards the entrance of the saloon in alarm. There, standing at the entrance, was Gunslinger Kyle. By his side was Swordsman Garrison.

Cartman calmed down when he saw who it was. "Oh, it's you," He sneered. "Where's your boyfriend?"

"Just me, fatass," Kyle replied, glaring at him.

"Uh, I'm here too, you know," Garrison said, rolling his eyes.

Cartman smirked. "You got a lot of balls coming here alone," He said. "But I guess that's good news for your fuck buddy, 'cause you've saved him the fate of seeing what we're about to do to you."

He, Scott and Dougie began to advance towards Kyle, but the gunslinger raised his pistol. "How about we settle things mano-a-mano?" He suggested.

Cartman and his comrades paused. "Huh?" Cartman asked.

"I'm calling you out," Kyle said, keeping his gun trained on him. "We settle things outside in a duel. No allies; just you and me. Man to man."

Cartman turned to face Scott and Dougie, then turned back to Kyle. "And why should I accept that?" He asked.

"What?" Kyle asked, smirking. "Are you scared of a one-on-one fight? Didn't realize you were that much of a bitch. Too scared to duel a little Jew."

Nearby, the other patrons said, "Ooh," in unison.

Cartman narrowed his eyes. "Alright, _bitch_, you're on," He said, raising his arm to ward Scott and Dougie off. "See you outside. And may the best gunman win."

Kyle's eyes darkened. "I intend to," He whispered, tightening his grip on his pistol.

* * *

_"Kenny. . ."_

**_"Kenny. . ."_**

**_"KENNY!"_**

Kenny's eyes snapped open. Instantly, he burst out of the snow, only to be met with Annie, kneeling over him, her hands on his shoulder.

"Oh thank God!" Annie exclaimed, relieved. "I was starting to believe you were a goner!"

"(W-What happened?)" Kenny asked, shaking the snow off his body.

"Well, we got buried by an avalanche that you started," Annie replied. "After that freezing spell wore off, I pulled us out of the snow. Thankfully, I don't think those two Subzero Titans were as lucky." She and Kenny scanned the area, but there was indeed no sign of them. If the titans had survived the avalanche, it'd be a long time before they managed to pull themselves out.

"Even though I was frozen, I still saw everything," Annie said. "That was pretty impressive of you."

"(Thanks,)" Kenny mumbled, getting to his feet.

"So, uh, what now?" Annie asked.

Kenny sighed. "(Well, since we fought so hard to keep that map, we might as well check it out,)" He said. Pulling out the map, he and Annie scanned it to see where they would head next.

"Hey, look," Annie whispered, pointing at one area titled **Alien Junkyard**, located near the icy mountains. "That place is practically right next to us."

"(Well that explains what those Subzero Titans were doing here,)" Kenny mumbled. He continued to scan the map, and his eyes landed on the **Cyborg Command Center**, which wasn't far off from the junkyard. His eyes widened.

"(Hey Annie, I have an idea,)" He said.

"What?" Annie asked. "Are we gonna find a way around the junkyard?"

"(Nope,)" Kenny replied. "(We're gonna head right to it!)"

Annie was silent for a moment. ". . . Huh?" She said, confused.

"(Come on!)" Kenny said, grabbing Annie by the wrist. "(I'll explain on the way!)"

With that, the two of them headed off towards the junkyard.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Cartman?" Scott asked as the sheriff loaded his pistols and cocked them at the front of the saloon. Out in the streets, Gunslinger Kyle stood, waiting for Cartman to be ready.

"Scott, you worry too much," Cartman said casually, spinning his pistol in his hand. "It's just fucking Kyle."

"We know," Dougie replied, concerned. "It's just. . . every time you fight, he kicks your ass."

Cartman narrowed his eyes at the redhead. "Just watch," He said. "I'm about to make Kyle my bitch."

"You know, if I had a watch, I'd be looking at it right now," Kyle called out a distance away.

"Alright, alright, don't get your panties in a twist," Cartman said, turning to glare at Kyle. He placed his pistols in his holsters and headed out into the streets to meet the gunslinger.

Nearby, other residents of the town watched the standoff from the safety of the houses, peeking through the windows. Garrison was leaning against the wall, his arms folded and his saber in his hand, watching the oncoming duel in vague boredom.

Gunslinger Kyle and Sheriff Cartman locked eyes with each other as they stood on opposite sides of the street. "Nervous?" Cartman called out, his hands hovering over his holsters.

"Feeling lucky?" Kyle replied casually. His arms were folded behind his back; he didn't appear to be making any motions to draw his pistols.

"Need a count?" Cartman asked.

"Yeah, I'll count," Kyle called out to him, narrowing his eyes. "Three. . ."

Cartman readied himself to draw his pistols. _I'm gonna make you my bitch, _he thought.

Kyle's eyes seemed unfocused; he didn't even appear to be looking at Cartman directly, but to the side of him. His arms were still folded behind his back.

"Two. . ."

Nearby, everyone tensed up, on the edge of their seats. They awaited the final word that would commence the duel to decide who was the faster draw, who would leave the town alive.

Alas, it didn't come.

A bright light flickered in the side of Cartman's vision, distracting him from Kyle. Turning his head in the direction of the light, his eyes widened as he saw a massive, sizzling fireball, flying right towards him, too fast for him to move. All he had time to do was open his mouth to scream before the fireball made contact with him.

A large explosion erupted where Cartman was standing, the shockwave causing everyone outside to be propelled backwards, and those watching from inside the houses to recoil from the blinding light. The only one to stay where he was was Kyle, who looked on, his eyes dark.

When the explosion died down, everyone turned back to see what had become of Cartman. The sheriff was lying inside a dark crater, covered in horrific burn marks. His clothing had been set aflame, and his hat had been burned to cinders. Despite his injuries, however, he was alive.

Coughing violently, Cartman whispered, "H-How the. . ."

At that moment, none other than Calamity Heidi skipped over and leaned down in front of him, a triumphant smile on her face. "I told you," She said mockingly. "I'm smart _and _funny!" She waved her phone in front of Cartman's face, which had a **Fireball **spell on it.

Despite his pain, Cartman narrowed his eyes. "Heidi. . . you bitch. . ." He whispered through gritted teeth. "Couldn't you see we were in a duel?"

At that moment, Kyle strode up next to Heidi. "Nice job, Heidi," He said, staring down at Cartman. "That plan worked perfectly."

Cartman's eyes widened. "What?" He groaned. "You were. . . in on it?"

"I admit, I didn't plan it out like this on the way here," Kyle confessed. "But as soon as I walked into town, guess who I happened to bump into, and was all too glad to assist me."

Cartman narrowed his eyes. "You dirty Jew," He whispered, enraged. "What was all that shit about no allies, just you and me?"

"I'm sorry, Cartman, but it's about more than that," Kyle told him. "I can't risk you getting that key and wrecking havoc. I have to protect the people I care about." With that, he pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Cartman's head.

"Cartman!" Scott shouted. He and Dougie were about to rush out towards the street, but Garrison pulled out his saber, keeping them at bay.

"You coward. . ." Cartman hissed, enraged. "I'm gonna get you back for this. . . I swear. . ."

"Maybe," Kyle whispered, cocking his gun. "But for now. . . you're done."

And with that, he pulled the trigger.

* * *

_Read and review._


	15. Dark Intentions

_South Down: Was that sarcasm._

_Playerhood18: Guess so._

_Warknight216: We'll see._

_GBond007: Indeed it is._

_I am a burglar: Take it. Not like he can do anything about it now._

* * *

Gunslinger Kyle stared down at Sheriff Cartman's corpse, sighing heavily to himself. Blood was oozing out of his forehead where Kyle had shot him, his lifeless eyes still open, staring up at him. He couldn't bare the sight, and turned away from it.

"Heidi?" He said, placing his pistol back in his holster. "I just wanna say thanks for the assistance."

"Hey, no problem," Calamity Heidi replied. "Anything to get back at _him_." She growled as she stared down at Cartman's corpse.

"Well, I gotta see if any of my girl friends are around," She said, tipping her hat. "Later." She strode off out of the town, leaving the gunslinger alone.

Nearby, Scott and Dougie watched on, nervous. "So. . . what about us?" The latter asked, shaking a bit in his barrel. A part of them worried that they were next on Kyle's list.

"I didn't come here for you," Kyle said dismissively, waving them off. "Get the Hell out of here."

"Oh thank God!" Scott shouted. Quickly, the two of them scrambled to flee the town as fast as they could, heading in the direction of the Holy Road.

Kyle sighed. Whipping out his phone, he switched to his Bounty Hunter form. "Well, time to collect that bounty," He muttered as he picked up Cartman's corpse and slung it over his shoulder. As he prepared to take flight, he turned to Swordsman Garrison, who was leaning against the wall.

"Hey, Garrison?" He said, casting his eyes down. "You saw what happened back there?"

"Yeah," The President replied. "Gotta say, I've fucked quite a few people to death, but that right there. . . that was some _hardcore _fucking you did. I'm actually impressed."

Kyle groaned. "Then why do I feel like shit?" He asked.

"Hey, when people fuck you over, it's only natural you do the same to them," Garrison said, before his eyes darkened. "Like a certain Mr. Slave I'm betting is somewhere around here in this game. . ."

Kyle shifted his eyes. "Alright, then," He muttered. "See you later, Garrison."

With that, he activated his jetpack and flew into the air, carrying Cartman's body with him.

* * *

The Alien Junkyard, despite its name, was anything but. With Space Grunts and Gunners guarding all entrances, the area functioned more as a high-security prison camp. That is, for any unfortunate gamers who posed a threat to Craig's Gang acquiring the key. Though Alien Queen Red had turned the Visitors against Craig, the sci-fi kids were still under his thrall.

"Come on, move it!" A Turbo Space Grunt was shouting at the captured Indian Braves as they were led out of the UFOs and towards the junkyard to be imprisoned. They were surrounded by Space Gunners, who kept their guns aimed at them to keep them from resisting.

As a few gunners marched through the snow on the outskirts of the junkyard, a large snowball barreled down the hill, startling them. "Go check if anyone's there," One of the Subzero Titans ordered two of the gunners. The two gunners nodded and trudged up the icy hill, their guns at the ready.

"Is anyone there?" One of the gunners said, surveying the area. "If you are, show yourself!"

As he stepped past a pile of snow, he heard the sound of something bursting out of the snow behind him. Whirling around, he barely had time to raise his gun before he was met with a metal fist to the face, knocking him out cold.

The other gunner spun around to see Cyborg Kenny, standing over his comrade. "Hey-" He started, only to be thwacked across the head by Annie, holding a large slab of ice in her hands. He soundlessly dropped to the ground.

"(Quick,)" Kenny said, taking the unconscious gunner's visor and putting them on. "(Put these on.)"

Annie nodded, and placed the fallen gunner's visor across her eyes. Taking their guns, the pair marched down the snow and seamlessly joined the squad of gunners marching through the snow.

"You guys find anything?" The Subzero Titan asked, not even looking at them.

"(Nope, nothing at all, sir,)" Cyborg Kenny replied as he and Annie detached from the squad and headed towards the entrance of the junkyard. As they did, Kenny muttered under his breath, "(Dumbasses.)"

Strolling into the junkyard entrance, Annie whispered, "So, what's the plan?"

"(We need to get a UFO to get out of the mountains,)" Kenny replied. "(But first, we're gonna need a distraction.)"

"How are you sure we're gonna find one here?" Annie asked as she looked around themselves. There were cells on both sides of the hallways, most of them containing the Indian kids from Many Moon's Stronghold, but also a few other unfortunate gamers, such as Dogpoo and Mr. Hankey.

"(Trust me,)" Kenny reassured her. "(I was the boss of the Alien Junkyard in the real world. If anyone knows this place, it's me.)"

The pair of them headed up the stairs towards the security room. Inside, a Space Grunt was relaxing at the control panel, on his phone.

Taking a deep breath, the pair strode in. "(Hey kid, the boss has requested a new shift,)" Kenny told the grunt. "(We're here to fill in.)"

"Really?" The grunt asked, springing out of his seat. "Gee, that's awesome!" He was about to head out, but paused.

"That's funny," He said, turning to face the two. "I didn't think we had female gunners."

Behind her visor, Annie narrowed her eyes. "Hey!" She said.

The grunt turned to face her. "No offense, bud," He said. "I'm sure your girlfriend is a great gunner regardless." With that, he strode out of the control room.

"Yeah, you got that right," Annie snapped. After a few moments, her eyes widened. "Wait a minute. . ."

Kenny, meanwhile, took his seat at the control panel. "(Alright, let's do this thing,)" He said, flexing his fingers. He scanned the panel, and carefully pressed a large button at the center.

Annie walked up to his side. "Which button was that?" Annie asked. Kenny merely smirked in response.

As the two watched the security cameras, they saw all the cell doors spring open. Through the cameras, they saw the guards all jump in alarm, along with the prisoners within the cells. Their surprise was only momentary, however, as within seconds, the prisoners quickly poured out of the cells, tackling the guards, who were slower to react.

"That's a pretty epic distraction," Annie whispered as the alarm sirens began to blare in the junkyard.

"(Come on!)" Kenny shouted, grabbing Annie by the wrist and dragging her out of the security room and into the hallways.

With the alarms sounded, all the guards were on alert. Within moments, Kenny and Annie ran into a Turbo Space Grunt and two normal grunts. "Stop right there!" The Turbo Grunt shouted. "Intruders!"

Kenny quickly blasted the Turbo Space Grunt with the stolen laser. The other grunts jumped to the side and charged, tackling Kenny and Annie to the ground. Kenny was the first to retaliate, striking his assailant in the face with his metal fist, cracking his metal eye-patch. Tossing him off, he recovered his gun and took aim at the grunt, who had pinned Annie to the ground.

"(Eat this!)" Kenny shouted, blasting the grunt in the face with the laser. The blast sent the grunt flying off of Annie and into the wall. Springing to her feet, Annie grabbed Kenny and the two ran down the stairs towards the hallways.

Downstairs, it was utter chaos. Caught by surprise, the sci-fi kids were unprepared as their prisoners swarmed them from both sides. The gunners tried to fire at them, but in close-quarters, their ranged weapons were more of a hindrance than an asset.

Kenny and Annie weren't concerned with who would win the struggle. Instead, they rushed through the chaotic hallways, dodging laser blasts and hatchets as they ran.

As they were about to reach the exit, they were stopped by a Subzero Titan. "Stop right there!" He shouted, blocking the duo's only exit. Kenny and Annie froze in their tracks.

Before the Titan could do anything, however, he heard Dogpoo shout, "I fight dirty!" Then, he flung a masterfully wielded dog turd right into the Titan's face.

"Augh!" The Titan shouted in disgust, throwing his hands towards his stained mask. Kenny took the opportunity to grab the Titan's foot and toss him into his back; within seconds, he was swarmed by Indian Braves.

"Come on!" Kenny shouted. He and Annie rushed into the snowy outdoors, firing laser blasts at the sci-fi kids as they rushed towards them. By now, the prison escapees were heading outside, attacking the sci-fi kids as well.

In the chaos, Kenny and Annie rushed into one of the UFOs, shooting a pair of Visitors as they rushed to apprehend them. They ran through the hallways until finally, they had reached the control room.

"Moo moo moo?" A Visitor said as the aliens saw the two kids enter. Kenny didn't respond; rather, he sprang onto the Visitor, snapping his neck in one motion with his metal arms. A distance away, Annie blasted the other Visitors dead.

Taking a seat at the control panel, Kenny pressed a few buttons and pulled a lever, causing the UFO to take itself off the ground.

"Wow," Annie whispered as she plastered her face against the window, watching as they were lifted up into the air. Kenny simply pulled the furled map out of his jacket, unrolling it and placing it on top of the panel.

"(Alright key, here we come,)" He whispered as they took flight.

Within moments, they were soaring through the air.

* * *

The motorcycle girl was riding down the Holy Road at a medium pace. As she road, she heard a familiar voice call out to her from above, "Hey, wait up!"

Coming to a stop, she craned her neck up, and smirked behind her visor when she saw Bounty Hunter Kyle flying after her, Cartman's dead body in his arms. "So, you're back, my dear bounty hunter?" She asked, hopping off the motorcycle and leaning against it as Kyle landed. "And you completed your task?"

"Yeah," Kyle said, dumping Cartman's body at the girl's feet. He struggled to catch his breath, and breathed out, "Next time you want me to take someone out, could you sent me after someone a little lighter?"

The girl chuckled softly. "You didn't get hurt, did you?" She asked, reaching out to brush Kyle's shoulder, concerned.

Kyle pushed her hand away. "Nah, he didn't even graze me," He reassured her. "You were right; I was the best equipped to handle him."

"It appears so," The girl said, and knelt down at Cartman's side. She examined the bullet hole in his head, and nodded, impressed.

"Nice shot," She said, and looked up, and seemed surprised when she saw Kyle looked somewhat uncomfortable. "What's wrong?"

"I dunno," He said, rubbing the back of his head. "It's just. . . I kinda screwed him over. I told him I wanted a duel, then completely blindsided him. It was kind of a cheap shot."

"Wow," The girl said, rather nonchalantly. "That kinda was."

"Cartman's a piece of shit, but I still felt kinda bad, screwing him over like that," Kyle muttered.

"Hey, if you want to win a game, sometimes you have to play rough," The girl replied, shrugging. Getting to her feet, she said, "Well, a deal's a deal. Since you accomplished your task, I'll grant you one of my spells." She pulled the spell icons out of her pocket and outstretched her arm towards Kyle.

Kyle stared at the icons, thinking hard to himself. He looked up to face the girl; though he couldn't see her face, she nodded, urging him to pick one.

Eventually, Kyle shrugged. "I'll pick the **Purify **one," He said, scooping the icon out of her hand and placing it in his pocket.

"Nice choice," The girl replied, taking a step backwards and putting the other icons back into her pocket. "Well then, where are you heading now?"

"I gotta meet back up with Stan and the others at Father Maxi's church," He explained. "However, it was fun talking with you. I hope I'll see you soon, maybe in the game or back in the real world."

"Yeah, you too!" The girl replied cheerfully.

"Well, see ya later!" Kyle called out to her, waving. Activating his jetpack, he took flight and soared down the Holy Road, heading towards the church.

The girl waved to him as he left. However, with her helmet obscuring her face, Kyle didn't see the twisted smirk that grew on her face as he vanished from sight.

"Yeah, see you later," She said as she turned around to stare at Cartman's corpse. "Sooner than you think."

As she knelt down against Cartman's body, she delved into her pocket and pulled out another spell icon, one she had kept hidden from Kyle. Her smile grew as she uncurled her hands and stared down at it.

**Dark Resurrection.**

* * *

_Read and review._


	16. An Unholy Path

_South Down: You'll see._

_Playerhood18: Seems like it._

_vh1660924: Uh-huh._

_GBond007: Sure._

_I am a burglar: You do that._

* * *

Frosted wind blazed over the Cyborg Command Center, which loomed a couple miles away from the Alien Junkyard in the icy mountains. Subzero Titans patrolled the outskirts of the center while the Grunts and Gunners roamed through the building.

In the tower, a Cyborg Titan had opened his iPhone after receiving a call from Craig. "Me and my gang are searching for Stan's group on the Holy Road, so I want you to get the others prepared," Craig was telling the Titan. "Once we've found their location, I want as many guys as you can muster to head over here and annihilate them, got it?"

"Roger that," The Cyborg Titan replied. Craig promptly ended the call, leaving the Titan and the others stationed at the command center to their own devices.

"God, 4th Graders are annoying," The Cyborg Titan grumbled to one of the Subzero Titans.

"Hey, we just have to put up with it until he leads us to the key," The Subzero Titan replied. "After that. . ." He finished by clenching his metal fist, eliciting a chuckle from the Cyborg.

One of the Space Grunts, absent-mindedly gazing out the window of the tower, abruptly snapped up to attention when something caught his eye. "Hey, look!" He shouted, springing out of his seat. The Titans turned just as a massive shadow loomed over the tower, and the shape of a lone UFO soaring through the icy winds passed overhead, vanishing just as quickly as it had arrived.

"What the Hell?" The Cyborg Titan exclaimed, stunned. He hadn't given the order for air support to be sent.

Before he could ponder the situation further, his iPhone vibrated, signalling that someone was calling him. Whipping out his phone, he saw it was a lowly Space Grunt out on the outskirts of the command center, a panicked expression on his face.

"Sir, we have a huge problem!" The Space Grunt was shouting, his eyes wild. In the background of the phone, the Cyborg Titan could see multiple Space Gunners firing at something unseen in the background, while the grunts were fleeing.

"What's going on?" He asked, baffled.

"There was a breakout at the Alien Junkyard!" The Space Grunt explained, ducking as an arrow zipped over his head. "All the prisoners were released, and they're heading-" He was cut off as, without warning, an arrow plunged into the side of his head. The Cyborg Titan instinctively recoiled as blood sprayed on the phone's screen. The grunt's eyes went wide before he collapsed onto the snow, the phone clattering a few feet away from his hands before going dark.

The Cyborg Titan stood still, stricken in shock. He was snapped out of his trance as alarm sirens began blaring, and he rushed to the window to observe what was occurring outside the center. Once he did, his eyes widened in shock.

Below, dozens of players were swarming the Cyborg Command Center, the former prisoners who had been released by Kenny and Annie. It appeared that after being freed, rather than try to escape, they'd instead sought revenge against the ones who'd spoiled the game for them. They attacked the sci-fi kids without mercy; the grunts and gunners attempted to fight back, but their assailants battered down their defenses and surged through.

"What the Hell is going on?!" The Cyborg Titan asked, baffled at how the command center was being overrun so quickly. As he scanned the area, he found his answer.

"Hooowdy ho!" Mr. Hankey cried as he sprang across the snowy ground, leaving poo stains wherever he went. As he sprang across his command center, his warcry increased the attacker's charge rate, allowing them to attack more efficiently than they would have otherwise.

"Look out!" A Space Grunt within the tower cried as arrows were launched by several Indian Braves towards them. The arrows smashed through the windows, forcing those inside to dive to avoid being hit. A few weren't fast enough and were skewered by the arrows or glass shards.

Getting to his feet, the Cyborg Titan bellowed, "Defenses, up!"

Several gunners manned the Cyborg Towers stationed around the command center. Quickly, they began firing down at the attackers, managing to blast through several of them. However, Dogpoo, rushing through the center, slung several dog turds at the gunners, striking them in the face and obscuring their vision. The distraction allowed a few Indian Hunters to shoot at the gunners, taking them out.

One of the Turbo Space Grunts rushed into the tower. "They've entered the tower!" He shouted, a panicked look on his face.

"We have to get out of here!" The Subzero Titan exclaimed.

"But Craig said-" One of the grunts responded, but was cut off.

"Who cares what Craig said?" The Cyborg Titan interrupted. "We'll just find another way to get that key!"

With that, the sci-fi kids fled the room, rushing towards the emergency escape exit to reach the nearest UFO before their attackers caught up to them.

* * *

Kenny's eyes were focused as he guided the UFO through the icy winds, following the map's directions. By now, Annie had returned, having thoroughly inspected the UFO and taking care of anyone else on board.

"So where are we headed now?" She asked, clutching the laser gun in her hands.

"(We're going to go through the Dragon Pass,)" Kenny informed her. "(It may be treacherous, but there are bound to be less people there than the other directions. We'll sneak through the pass and hopefully, we can make it to the Underworld before anyone else does.)"

Annie took a seat a few feet away from Kenny. "So Kenny, if you were to somehow get the key, what would you wish for?" She asked, out of curiosity.

Kenny stayed silent for a moment. "(What would _you _wish for?)" He replied, keeping his eyes straight ahead.

"Oh, me?" Annie replied, seemingly surprised he was asking her that question. "I wasn't really going to wish for anything. It was really my girl friends, well, Wendy and Bebe specifically. They wanted the key, I guess for some liberal or feminist reasons, and I was just supposed to help them out. It was really gonna be their wish."

"(Hm,)" Kenny murmured, continuing to steer the UFO as a gust of wind blew across the windowsill.

"So, what were you gonna wish for?" Annie repeated.

Kenny sighed. "(You know my sister, Karen?)" He asked.

Annie paused. "Not particularly," She said. "I know _about _her, but. . ."

"(Did you know that most of the time, she goes to sleep hungry?)" Kenny asked, finally turning around to face Annie. "(Or that the amount of times she's seen a $20 bill in person could be counted on one hand? Or that she only has a half-decent meal once every several _months_?)"

Annie seemed taken aback. "N-No, I didn't," She mumbled. "Well, I guess I might've, but. . ."

"(Well that's her life that she lives every fucking day!)" Kenny shouted. "(That's how _all_ of us live! Me, her, Kevin, our parents! That's our life!)" He jumped off the seat, leaving the UFO unmanned.

"(But getting the key will change all of that!)" He explained, grabbing Annie's shoulders. "(If I get my wish, I can fix our lives! We won't have to live in that shitty home! We'll be able to afford decent living and food! We can. . . can. . ."

"Not be poor?" Annie finished.

"(Yes!)" Kenny exclaimed. "(I don't even want to be rich like Token! Just have an equal footing with the rest of you guys. A normal life, or at least as normal as it can be. For my sister.)" Taking his seat at the controls, he continued flying the ship.

For a few moments, Annie remained silent as she took in Kenny's words. She'd never considered what it'd be like to be in Kenny's shoes. As she took it in, she realized that she didn't really deserve to get the key. She didn't even know what she would wish for if she got it.

Until now.

Kenny's eyes widened as he felt Annie wrap her arms around him and hug him from behind. She pressed her face against the back of his hoodie, and he slowly turned around to face her, his eyebrows raised.

"I'll help you," She whispered resolutely.

* * *

Most of Stan's group were fast asleep in one of the extra rooms in Father Maxi's church. After their long travel, they were glad to be able to get a few hours rest before they continued on their travels.

Stan was one of the few still awake. He sat against the window, gazing outside forlornly. It had been hours since he'd last seen Kyle; his redheaded friend had told him he was just going to make sure they weren't being followed, and yet he still hadn't returned.

What was taking him?

"Hey, Stan?" His father's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Craning his head around, he saw Randy, who was now dressed as a Sexy Nun.

"Is this blasphemous?" He asked, sticking a leg out of his skirt to reveal fishnet tights.

"Oh, dad, seriously?" Stan asked, diverting his eyes from his dad. "Come on?"

"What?" Randy asked.

Sharon, who was laying on one of the beds, raised her head up. "Will you shut the fuck up, Randy?" She snapped, irritated. She realized she was in a church, and quickly whispered, "Sorry."

Stan groaned. At that moment, one of the young Choirboys rushed into the room, saying, "Hey guys, come downstairs! Something's happening!" Without saying another word, he exited the room and rushed down the hallways.

Stan exchanged a confused glance with Sharon before they, joined by some of the awoken children, got up and headed downstairs to see what the fuss was about.

Downstairs, a glowing, heavenly light was emitting from outside the church doors. Father Maxi was standing near the doors, wandering whether to open it, while the Choirboys were huddled together, awed and a little fearful at the same time.

Rubbing his tired eyes, Stan asked, "What's going on? What's out there?"

"I don't know, my child," Father Maxi replied, staring at the bright light.

"Well, are you gonna open the doors or not?" One of the Holy Defenders asked.

Taking a deep breath, Father Maxi stepped forward and pushed the doors open. Almost immediately, the bright light engulfed the room, causing everyone to recoil from the blinding aura.

When the light began to dissipate, the church residents turned to gaze outside. Their eyes widened when they saw a pair of small angels, blowing their trumpets. White doves fluttered inside the church, flapping their wings over the children's heads, eliciting small giggles from them.

Standing at the front of the church entrance was none other than Choirboy Butters. "Hello, Father Maxi," He said, jingling his golden bells. "I've been looking all over for you!"

Father Maxi's eyes widened. "Butters!" He exclaimed. "Why, it's a blessing to see you here! What are you doing here?"

"Why else?" Butters asked, clasping his hands together. "I've come to give thanks to the Lord that you're in this game. Peace be with you, Father."

"Peace be with you, my child," Father Maxi said, smiling.

"Can we come in, then?" Butters asked.

Standing in the back, Stan breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was only Butters. However, his relief was short-lived as his memory came back to him. He'd only seen Butters a select few times within the game. And the last time he'd seen him, he'd been with. . .

"No," He whispered, his eyes widening in horror as realization dawned upon him. "No, wait! Father Maxi, wait!"

But it was too late.

"Why of course you can come in, Butters," Father Maxi said. "Praise the Lord!"

And just like that, the church doors were flung open by a powerful force, causing nearly everyone inside to be tossed backwards. Stan was knocked over by one of the Holy Defenders. As he sat back up, he froze as he saw Dark Angel Red fly into the church, her black wings flapping menacingly, followed by Medusa Bebe, her snake hair hissing viciously.

And last, but definitely not least, Angel Wendy soared inside the church, her bow and arrow clenched tightly within her fists.

Her eyes landed on Stan, and they narrowed darkly.

"Pray for mercy," She whispered menacingly.

* * *

Deep in the woods, the motorcycle girl hummed softly to herself as she readied her spell. She had drawn a large, red symbol in the ground, and lit candlesticks around it. In the center of the symbol lay Cartman's dead body.

The girl closed her eyes as she delved into her pocket and pulled out the **Dark Resurrection **spell icon. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and locked eyes with Cartman's lifeless ones.

Then, she cast the spell.

As the icon vanished, sickly green balls of energy emerged from Cartman's corpse. The ground below him cracked, and the fires lighting the candlesticks were blown out. For a few moments, Cartman's body was still.

Then, his finger twitched ever so slightly. Then his stomach heaved, his arms flailed, and a loud groan of pain emerged from Cartman's lips as, like a zombie, he lifted himself off the ground.

For a few moments, he sat on the ground, blinking a few times. Outstretching his arms, he looked down at them, flexing his arms before feeling his body as the realization that he was no longer dead registered.

Finally, his eyes narrowed. "When there's no more room in Hell, Cartman shall walk the Earth!" He shouted, clenching his fist tightly as he stood up tall. Immediately, his eyes landed upon the motorcycle girl.

"Who the Hell are you?" He asked.

"Your savior," The girl replied coolly, smiling behind her mask.

Cartman squinted as his memory slowly came back to him. "Wait, I remember. . ." He whispered, before he narrowed his eyes. "Oh, that sneaky little Jew! He thought he was so smart, getting the drop on me like that! Well, I'll show him!"

"I can help you with that," The girl replied slyly.

"Huh?" Cartman asked, looking up at her.

"You may have been rescued from death's clutches, but you're in no position to face Kyle," The girl told him. "Unless, of course. . ."

"Unless what?" Cartman asked, eager for the chance to get his revenge on his nemesis.

The girl delved into her pocket, revealing her spells and totems. "With me, you can get that key and wish for whatever you want," She said. "More importantly, however, you can get your revenge on the one who killed you, as well as his allies."

"I like the sound of that," Cartman said, grinning darkly.

The girl took one of the totems, which materialized into an **Energy Staff**. She extended it to Cartman, who quickly took it in his hands. Almost immediately, sparks of electricity bounced off the staff, enveloping Cartman in energy.

"Sweet!" He shouted as he was consumed by the staff's power.

The girl shielded her eyes away from the blinding light. Even then, her mouth twisted into a grin.

Finally, the transformation was complete. The light faded, and the girl turned to stare back at the transformed Cartman, a proud smile on her face.

"Arise, my **Grand Wizard**," She whispered darkly.

* * *

_Read and review._


	17. Enter the Grand Wizard

_Playerhood18: We'll see._

_South Down: Right in the down under._

_v1660924: Are Kelly and Tammy even a thing with Kenny anymore?_

_GBond007: Indeed._

_I am a burglar: Eh._

* * *

"(We're here,)" Kenny told Annie as he landed the UFO in a wooded area in the Mystical realm. Taking the map, he shoved it in his jacket as the two slowly headed out of the spacecraft.

"Where is here, exactly?" Annie asked as she scanned the area.

"(Dragon Pass,)" Kenny answered, pointing to a massive, rocky canyon not too far up ahead. There were chasms and cliff sides with steep drops, but a clear path to the other side nonetheless. All they had to do was pass through it.

As the pair headed over to the canyon, Annie asked, "Why couldn't we just use the UFO to fly across?"

Kenny responded by halting Annie, using one hand to cover her mouth and the other to point down at one of the chasms down below. Annie followed where he was pointing, and had to stifle a cry of surprise when she saw a large purple and black dragon sleeping calmly at the bottom of the chasm.

It was Geldon.

"(Whoever made this game apparently took the name 'Dragon Pass' literally,)" Kenny grumbled. "(They had to add an actual fucking dragon. There's no way we could fly over without catching his attention.)"

Swallowing her fear, Annie stuttered, "W-Well no p-p-problem. W-We can just walk past him. This is a big canyon; it shouldn't be that hard to avoid him." It was painfully clear she was trying to reassure herself more than Kenny.

Kenny nodded, and took Annie's hand as the two prepared to walk across the side of the canyon, avoiding the chasm where Geldon was sleeping. The pair tried to be as quiet as possible; the canyon may have been big, but they still didn't want to risk Geldon hearing them and awakening.

"(Come on,)" Kenny whispered as they were nearly halfway past the chasm where Geldon slumbered. If they could just get past that, they could make it through the rest of the canyon without fear of waking him up.

"Hiya!"

Kenny and Annie whipped their heads upwards just in time to see the dark shadow of a kid their age come soaring down towards them from an overhead cliff side. Before Kenny could react, the figure struck him across the head with a green shovel.

"Kenny!" Annie shouted as the parka-wearing boy collapsed onto the ground, dazed from the blow. The figure seemed to totally disregard her, instead focusing entirely on Kenny.

His vision foggy, Kenny looked up to stare at whoever had struck him. His vision cleared just long enough for him to see a familiar schoolmate, grinning down at him, her fists clenched around a pair of shovels.

"Girls rule!" Nelly sneered down at him, waving the two shovels in the air.

That was the last thing Kenny heard before he blacked out.

* * *

The residents of the church all huddled together in alarm as the three girls, plus Butters, barged inside the building, weapons drawn. Angel Wendy had her crossbow aimed at Stan, whose arms were raised in surrender.

"But Butters, why?" Father Maxi asked as he shielded the choirboys from Medusa Bebe, whose snake hairs hissed at the small group to keep them cowed.

"It's nothing against you, Father," Butters reassured the priest. "We're just here for the map."

Hiding behind one of the long chairs, Scout Ike quietly pulled out his phone to try and transform. Before he could, however, a shadow loomed over him, followed by a pair of strong hands wrenching his phone out of his grasp and hoisting him in the air, eliciting a small cry from the kindergartner.

"Not this time, you don't!" Dark Angel Red growled as she restrained the small boy. Ike struggled in her grasp, but Red was too strong.

Stan gulped as Angel Wendy approached him, her eyes narrowed. "Alright Stan," She said, her voice steely. "I have a lot in mind to skewer you through the heart right now. _But_, if you hand me the picture of the map, I _might _go easy on you."

Swallowing, Stan stuttered, "I-I don't have it. The picture was on Kyle's phone."

"Well where is he?" Bebe asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"He never even arrived," Stan explained. "He split up after we escaped Craig. Said he wanted to make sure nobody was following us."

"Well gee, he's done a pretty good job of that, so far," Red said sarcastically.

"When he comes back, he's gonna kick your ass!" Ike shouted defiantly. Red tightened her grip on the kindergartner.

"Quiet!" She hissed.

"Well, what do we do now?" Bebe asked, shrugging her shoulders.

"I have an idea," Wendy whispered darkly, raising her arrow and aiming it at Stan's head. The dark-haired boy shrunk back, terrified.

"Stanley!" Sharon cried, but she was kept back by Bebe's crossbow.

Hesitantly, Butters walked up to the feuding couple. "Please, Wendy, not in a church," He pleaded with her.

Wendy's mouth was a thin line. "Fine, then," She said, lowering the arrow, causing Stan to sigh in relief. His relaxation was short-lived, however, as Wendy nudged him harshly and snarled, "Step outside."

The arrow aimed at him, Stan hesitantly walked towards the exit of the church, Wendy following him. The other children followed, curious to see what would transpire outside.

"Please children, there must be some other way!" Father Maxi pleaded. In response, Bebe whirled around and summoned multiple snakes that slithered towards the church residents, keeping them from following the group.

Once they were outside of the church, Wendy gave Stan a rough shove, knocking him down onto the grass. "Wendy, please!" He shouted, fearing what was going to come next.

To his surprise, however, Wendy ordered, "Pull out your phone!"

Confused, Stan obeyed. An awkward silence ensued as he sat there, looking up at his enraged girlfriend. Behind her, the other kids watched on, curious to see what was going to unfold.

"Well?" Wendy asked. "Transform!"

"Huh?" Stan asked.

"We're going to settle this!" Wendy shouted. "You've taken cheap shots at me one too many times in this game! Why don't you fight me face-to-face!"

"Wendy, please," Stan pleaded. "I don't wanna fight you."

"Too late, Stan!" Wendy snapped, aiming her crossbow at him. "If you wanna make it out of this alive, you're gonna give me the best that you have to offer!"

"Ooh," The group of children said in unison.

Stan stared at the group behind Wendy. His eyes landed on Ike, helpless in Red's grasp. He realized that the rest of the group didn't stand a chance without him and Kyle. If they were gonna make it through this, he didn't have a choice but to accept Wendy's challenge.

With a sigh, Stan swapped through his cards and transformed into Poseidon Stan. He wielded his trident, aiming the tip of it at his girlfriend, who readied her bow and arrow.

"I'm sorry, Wendy," He whispered.

"Me, too," She sneered.

And with that, the two charged.

* * *

In the forests of the Mystical realm, Scott Malkinson and Prophet Dougie passed through the long trees and shrubbery, in no particular direction.

"So, uh, where exactly are we going?" Scott asked, twiddling his fingers together awkwardly.

"Well, since Cartman's gone, nowhere, I guess," Dougie replied. "If we're lucky, maybe we'll find a church, and we can pretend to be lost souls in need of saving."

"That sounds like a good idea!" Scott lisped.

As the two continued walking, a laser blast suddenly zipped through the forest, narrowly missing Dougie's head. Instantly, the two boys yelped and collapsed onto the group, shielding their heads.

"What was that?!" Scott shouted, horrified.

The sounds of fighting and screaming filled their ears, and the two boys, fearful but curious, rushed towards the source of the sound. Hiding behind a bush, the two saw a large field ahead of them, and on it, a large group of Zionist Rangers and sci-fi kids were engaging in a fierce battle with one another.

"Assholes!" A Space Gunner shouted as he fired rapidly at the Zionists, who retaliated by hurling kosher candles at them.

"Cover me!" One Zionist shouted towards a comrade as he pulled out his phone. His comrade rushed out into the open, chucking candles at the attacking Grunts, keeping them at bay. This allowed the first Zionist to charge up his Spell attack.

**"Lightning Bolt!" **He shouted, summoning his attack. Instantly, a bolt of lightning struck a Cyborg Titan, blasting him dozens of feet away.

"Wow," Scott whispered, amazed at the battle taking place before them.

As the two groups continued their battle, a large figure lumbered up atop a hill overlooking the field on the opposite side of Scott and Dougie. The figure stared down at the feuding groups, and he inhaled deeply, his fists tightening around the staff.

Raising his staff into the air, he brought it down onto the ground, releasing a massive surge of energy that tore the battling groups out of their frenzy. Instantly, all heads snapped up to stare at the figure atop the hill, including Scott and Dougie, whose jaws dropped in disbelief when they saw who it was.

"No way," Dougie whispered.

_"Enough!" _Grand Wizard Cartman bellowed down at the two groups. "Let this insignificant quarrel end now! From this moment forward, you shall be united under one, grand ruler!"

The two groups stared up at the Grand Wizard, confused. "Huh?" One of the Space Grunts said after an awkward silence.

"I died in battle, but I returned, better and more powerful than ever!" Grand Wizard Cartman shouted, raising his magic staff high. "Now, I have come to acquire the key, but more importantly, to seek revenge on the coward who smote me! I am calling upon all of you to join me on my epic quest! Join me as my noble squires and crusaders!"

". . . What the Hell is he talking about?" Dougie whispered to Scott, who simply shrugged in response.

One of the Space Grunts walked up to the cliff where Cartman was standing. "Um, us sci-fi kids follow Craig," He explained to the Grand Wizard. "We were heading out to rendezvous with him on the Holy Road."

"And we're Zionists," One of the rangers piped up. "We stand by Kyle."

Cartman narrowed his eyes. "Not anymore, you don't," He snapped. "You guys follow my lead, now."

"Says who?" A Subzero Titan asked, glaring up at him.

Grand Wizard Cartman sneered. It appeared a demonstration of his newfound power was in order for these lowly grunts to respect his authority.

Sparks of energy jumped off his magic staff as Cartman charged his magic. Instantly, a blast of energy erupted from the staff, striking several children in the field with enough force to send them flying through the air. The rest of the children recoiled in terror.

"You like that, bitches?!" Cartman shouted, firing another energy blast that struck a Subzero Titan in the chest, knocking him down. Behind the bush, Scott and Dougie jumped back, horrified. Cartman hadn't been this powerful beforehand.

Screams of terror filled the field as Cartman began firing energy blasts at the scattered children. Eventually, both sides collapsed in submission before the Grand Wizard.

"Alright, alright!" A Cyborg Titan pleaded, raising his arms in surrender. "We'll join you, o mighty Wizard!"

"Good answer!" Grand Wizard Cartman shouted. Relief washed over the children as the energy blasts stopped. "Now get your phones out and transform! Ain't no way a bunch of kosher boys are gonna fit in my army!"

As the kids in the field slowly got to their feet, cowering, Cartman turned around and admired the energy staff in his hands. _So, this is what true power feels like, _he thought maliciously, caressing the staff. He might just be the most powerful player in the game now.

And it was all thanks to that girl, whoever she was.

Cartman was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the sound of a twig snapping in the woods. Whirling around, he caught sight of Scott and Dougie, who were trying to quietly sneak away. Slowly, the two boys turned around, their skin pale as they realized they had been caught.

In mere seconds, the Grand Wizard was standing in front of his former comrades, who recoiled at his unbelievable speed. "Aren't you two asking for a little too much trying to bail?" He asked, grinning.

"B-Bail?" Dougie said, trembling. "W-Who said anything about bailing?"

"So then, it appears the two of you have no issue joining me, now that I'm back and better than ever?" Cartman asked.

Scott and Dougie gulped. "No, no issues at all," The two said in unison.

"Good," Cartman said. "Now, we have a long journey ahead of us! Both to get the key, and revenge on that cowardly snake!" Immediately, Cartman burst out cackling, his laugh sending a chill down Scott and Dougie's spines.

Slowly, the two began laughing as well, but it was only a thin veneer to mask their utter terror.

* * *

_Read and review._


	18. On the Run

_South Down: We'll see._

_Walter Bryan Cranston White: Well here it is._

_Playerhood18: Answers will be delivered soon enough._

_GBond007: We'll see. Again._

* * *

When Kenny opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was that he was restrained. His limbs were tied by thick, strong ropes, his arms twisted behind his back, preventing him from moving. Oddly enough, he was still in the Dragon Pass; his captor hadn't bothered to move him.

"Oh, he's awake," A familiar voice said from behind him. Kenny twisted his body to try and face his captor, but the ropes restricted his movement. A foot finally landed on his shoulder and flipped him around, allowing him to stare up into the eyes of Nelly.

The brunette was glaring down at him with a raised eyebrow, her hands on her hips. Behind her, Annie stood still, a conflicted expression on her face.

"(What are you doing?)" Kenny asked, narrowing his eyes at Nelly.

"Trying to find the key; what else?" Nelly replied casually. "But what I didn't think I'd find was you two. What the Hell are you doing with Annie?"

"(She's with me,)" Kenny replied. "(Tell her, Annie.)"

Annie was about to reply, but Nelly simply laughed as if Kenny had told a funny joke. "Her?" She said, smirking. "With a boy? How stupid do you think I am? Why would she be traveling with a boy to get the key? Why not with her friends."

"(She was with her friends,)" Kenny tried to explain, shuffling to try and get to his feet. Nelly pressed her foot down on him to keep him from getting up, however. "(But she's with me, now. She's helping me get the key.)"

"Ooh, I see," Nelly said, her face softening. She lifted her foot off of Kenny, who sighed with relief. It was short-lived, however, as she promptly brought her foot back down on him harshly, causing him to cry out in pain. Behind Nelly, Annie winced.

"You kidnapped Annie and is forcing her to help you, is that it?!" Nelly barked, grinding her foot on Kenny's chest. "You piece of shit!"

"(No, that's not it!)" Kenny retorted, but Nelly clearly wasn't having any of it.

"Guys, quiet down," Annie told them. "The dragon." She pointed at the chasm where Geldon continued to slumber.

Nelly stepped off of Annie and turned to face Annie. "Don't worry, Annie," She said soothingly, pressing a hand into the blonde's fuzzy hair. "I know how to deal with that dragon."

Grabbing Kenny by the collar, Nelly hoisted him to his feet and began dragging him towards the chasm where Geldon lay. "Nelly, what are you doing?" Annie asked, following close behind.

"Killing two birds with one stone," Nelly replied, grinning darkly. "That big old dragon will be too busy chowing down on Kenny here to notice us as we sneak through the canyon."

Annie let out a gasp. Kenny's eyes widened as Nelly grabbed him roughly by the jacket and began to lift him up into the air.

Biting her nails, Annie stammered out, "Uh, hey Nelly, maybe we should. . . not do that."

"What are you talking about?" Nelly asked, craning her neck around to face Annie.

"Uh. . ." Annie said, rubbing the back of her neck. "Well, maybe we could work together, or something."

"Annie, this isn't the time for joking," Nelly replied, rolling her eyes.

"I'm not joking, Nelly," Annie reassured her. "Perhaps it would be better for us to side with him."

"(Yeah, listen to her,)" Kenny urged, shaking in Nelly's grasp.

Nelly sighed. "Don't wanna kill a fellow gamer, huh?" She said dismissively. "You've always been soft, Annie."

The blonde shrunk away, hurt by the comment. Nelly disregarded her, lifting Kenny up over her head, shocking both him and Annie with her incredible strength.

"No matter," She said, stepping towards the edge of the chasm, Kenny helpless in her grip. "You're with me, now, Annie, so I'll be calling the shots from here on out. Once Kenny here's out of the picture, that is." She heaved as she prepared to plunge him into the chasm to his doom.

She was so distracted that she didn't notice Annie's eyes begin to darken. Her body shook, her hands curling into fists.

"No. . ." She whispered, gritting her teeth. "No. . . you. . . _won't_!"

With lightning speed, Annie sprang forward, grabbing Kenny and snatching him out of Nelly's hands just as she lurched forward to throw him into the chasm. Nelly felt the weight be lifted off her, but she had put so much force into her throw that she couldn't stop her movement. She shrieked as she lost her footing and went plunging down the chasm.

Annie and Kenny breathed heavily, the latter lying on top of the former. They both snapped to attention as they heard Nelly scream, and scrambled towards the edge of the chasm. Looking down, they saw Nelly, hanging from a rocky spike sprouting from the wall, which had caught her by the shirt. She was thrashing around helplessly in its grip, a look of rage and humiliation strewn across her face.

She glared up at the two, but specifically Annie. "You two-faced traitor!" She shouted at the blonde, her arms flailing wildly. "When I get my hands on you-" Her ranting was cut short, however, as all three heard the loud grunting noise of Geldon at the bottom of the chasm.

Looking down, they saw the dragon slowly stirring away, disturbed by Nelly's screeching. Its green eyes landed on Nelly, who immediately shut up when she saw Geldon glaring at her. Slowly, the dragon's unfurled its large wings, and let out a hiss, smoke bellowing from its jaws.

At the top of the chasm, Annie and Kenny shrunk away, praying the dragon hadn't seen them, too. "(I think it's best if we leave, now,)" Kenny suggested. Annie nodded, and the two got up and sprinted down the path as fast as they could, leaving Nelly to face the dragon alone.

As they ran, Kenny whispered, "(I can't believe what you just did back there. You stood up to one of your girl friends - _Nelly_. Why?)"

"I said I was going to help you, didn't I?" Annie reminded him, trailing behind him. "Besides, if Nelly got the key, she'd probably wish for boys to be subservient to girls, or something. She doesn't need that wish as much as you."

Kenny seemed taken aback. "(Oh,)" He said, slowing down a bit. "(Thanks.)"

"Don't thank me just yet!" Annie said, grabbing him by the wrist to get him to move quicker. "Let's get that key! _Then _we can celebrate!"

* * *

Bounty Hunter Kyle walked down the path towards the Holy Road. Ever since he'd collected his bounty from the mysterious girl, he'd grown tired of flying and decided to walk the remaining distance towards Maxi's church.

A part of him was still conflicted about killing Cartman, but regardless, he was just happy to be able to reunite with Stan and the others after having spend so much time separated from them. He knew they'd be curious as to why he'd been gone for so long, but he was sure they'd understand when he explained he'd removed the most dangerous player from the game.

His eyes brightened when he saw the church come into view. His relief was short-lived, however, as almost immediately, the sounds of horrified screams, coming from within the church, filled his ears.

_Oh no, _he thought, his eyes widening in horror. Had Craig's Gang gotten to the church before him?

Powering up his jetpack, Kyle flew towards the church, smashing through the gates, ready to fight to the death to protect his brother and the others. Once he was inside, he froze as he saw it wasn't Craig's Gang at the church.

It was utter chaos within the church. Multiple snakes were slithering through the church, attacking the churchgoers. Holy Defenders were lobbing holy flames down at the reptilian menace from above, while the little choirboys tried to fend the snakes off in melee combat.

"Get this thing off of me!" Randy was shouting in a panic, jumping about with a snake hanging from his skirt. Sharon was following close by, swinging at the snake with a Bible.

As Kyle tried to remove the mental image of Stan's dad in a sexy nun outfit, he swooped down towards Father Maxi, who was doing his best to fend off the attacking snakes. One of the snakes lunged at him from behind, but Kyle blasted it in midair.

"My son!" Father Maxi said as Kyle hovered before him. "Thank you for the assistance! We're doing out best to fend these things off!"

Kyle was about to ask where these snakes had come from, but then he remembered who had the ability to summon them. "Bebe," He whispered, his eyes darkening. He realized the girls must've attacked the church.

Quickly, he fired at the attacking snakes, blasting them to bits one by one. With his assistance, the church goers were able to get the upper hand, and the remaining snakes began to slither away through the open doors of the church.

With the snakes neutralized, Kyle rushed towards Sharon, who was busy trying to heal the injured churchgoers. "Where's my brother?" He asked, urgently. "Where's Stan?"

"His girlfriend took him out behind the church," Sharon explained. "She looked pretty pissed off. The others followed to see what she was going to do to him."

Kyle didn't spare another second. Immediately, he flew out of the church and up into the air, scanning the area around him. It didn't take long for him to see the rather large group of children gathered on the grassy field behind the church.

And in the center of it was Angel Wendy and Poseidon Stan.

* * *

Wendy ducked as Stan swung his trident at her, narrowly missing her head. Using his trident like a sword, he swung at his girlfriend, each strike failing to hit their mark as Wendy dodged every attack.

Spreading her wings, Wendy took flight, firing an arrow down at him. Stan reacted in time, using his trident to slice the arrow in half before it hit him. This gave Wendy an opening, however, and she quickly soared downwards, delivering a kick to Stan's chest, knocking him down. The trident went flying out of his grasp. On all sides, the crowd shouted out in entertainment, enjoying the show.

"You picked the wrong costume for this battle!" Angel Wendy said as Stan scrambled for his trident. "You may have had the upper hand in the seas, but that trident of yours won't do you much good on land!"

"We'll see about that!" Stan retorted as he grabbed the trident. Pulling out a water balloon, he launched it into the air and burst it with the sharp end of his trident, showering the area with water. The attack slowed Wendy down, reducing her mobility and reaction time. Stan took the opportunity to rush forward, slamming into Wendy and sending her flying backwards. She tumbled across the ground but managed to catch herself, landing on her feet. It was only then that pain registered, and she collapsed onto her knees, groaning.

"Come on, Wendy, get up," Medusa Bebe urged her from the sidelines.

Breathing heavily, Wendy stood upwards, clenching the bow and arrow tightly. She locked eyes with Stan, who was sweating profusely, clearly still conflicted about having to fight her.

"Seriously Wendy, can't we just stop?" He asked, lowering his trident. "I. . . I don't wanna fight you."

Wendy's face softened. Lowering her bow and arrow, she slowly stepped towards Stan, her face blank. Stan looked hesitant, but remained still. Nearby, the other kids watched on, confused.

When they were within arms length of each other, Wendy whispered to Stan, "It's not smart to lower your defenses."

Stan let out a cry as he felt a stinging pain in his abdomen. Looking downwards, he saw that Wendy had plunged an arrow into his side. Before he could react, Wendy's fist connected with his face, sending his head whipping backwards. The crowd let out shocked gasps.

Gritting his teeth, Stan lurched forward. Wendy let out a blood-curdling shriek as Stan's trident pierced her stomach, stumbling backwards before the trident got in deeper. She doubled over, clutching her bleeding stomach. It hurt, but luckily, she'd pulled away before the trident could cause anything more than skin-deep wounds.

Stan groaned as he yanked the arrow out of his side, blood gushing from his wound. He hurled it at Wendy, who ducked in time, the arrow lodging itself in a tree.

The two combatants stared each other down, filled with rage and pain. The crowd continued to watch on, their hearts in their throats. Both Stan and Wendy were injured, and it still wasn't clear who would win.

Dark Angel Red, standing at the front of the crowd, was so engrossed in the battle that she'd forgotten she was still holding onto Ike. The kindergartner, squirming in her grasp, managed to stomp on her foot, eliciting a cry of pain from her. Releasing him, she grabbed her throbbing foot, allowing Ike to scamper off from the crowd.

Red was quick to recover, however. "Get back here, you little-" She shouted as she pushed through the crowd and chased after him. It didn't take long for her to catch up to him, grabbing his arms and struggling to restrain him. Ike fought back as hard as he could, but he was no match for the bigger girl.

Just then, Ike stopped struggling. Red was confused, only to follow his shocked gaze to where he was staring. Her eyes widened as she saw the new figure, standing on the other side of the field.

"Kyle!" Ike shouted.

Bounty Hunter Kyle stared at Dark Angel Red. His eyes widened when he saw the rough way she was holding Ike, but that shock quickly turned to rage. Red recognized it, and she threw Ike to the side as she prepared to take on the new arrival.

Yet she never got the chance. A burst of blue erupted from Kyle as he quickly transformed, and before Red could react, a huge laser was fired from the blue light, striking her dead-center in the chest. Red yelled out in agony, feeling like her chest was on fire, and she collapsed onto the ground, coughing heavily.

Choirboy Butters, who had been observing Stan and Wendy's fight from the crowd, turned as he saw Red fall, wounded. "Red!" He shouted in horror, rushing to her side. He held onto her, careful not to aggravate her wounds.

A shadow loomed over the pair, and Butters looked up to see the Human Kite standing over him. Butters shrunk away in fear, but Kyle didn't seem to be concerned with him. Instead, he walked past them, heading towards the crowd, who were still watching Stan and Wendy's battle.

Stan had gone back on the offensive, rushing towards Wendy, bringing the trident down on her head. Wendy managed to grab the handle in time, keeping it from hitting its target. With her free hand, she grabbed an arrow and thrust it forward to stab him, but Stan jumped away in time.

Wendy continued to rush at him, swinging the arrow at him. Stan did his best to dodge, but his injuries slowed him down. He finally rolled across the ground away from Wendy, and got to his feet just as Wendy took aim with her bow and arrow.

The pair locked eyes with each other. Then, Wendy fired.

In the split-second before the arrow hit its mark, Stan took the trident and lobbed it forward. The arrow and trident zoomed past one another, barely missing each other. The very next second, both Stan and Wendy let out a cry of pain.

The Human Kite was still shoving his way through the crowd when he heard everyone gasp in unison. Panic welled up inside him. What had happened?

Pushing the last few kids out of his way, he was about to rush in, but stopped in his tracks when he saw Stan, lying in the field, the arrow sticking from his chest. A distance away, Wendy was lying on her stomach, her bow and arrow out of her grasp.

"No," Kyle choked out as he rushed towards Stan, grabbing him and pulling him close. Stan didn't respond; his eyes were closed and his arms were hanging limply by his sides.

"Stan, get up," Kyle urged, shaking him gently. "Get up!" Alas, Stan didn't respond.

Nearby, Medusa Bebe hesitantly approached Wendy. "Wendy?" She said, gently pushing her onto her back. When she did, she let out a gasp as she saw three large, bloody gashes in Wendy's chest where the trident had pierced her.

"No!" Bebe exclaimed, pulling Wendy close. "Wendy, please! You can't die! Not to him!"

Choirboy Butters passed through the crowd, half-carrying an injured Red. The two headed towards the kneeling Bebe and unconscious Wendy. Nearby, Ike walked over to Kyle and Stan, joining his brother in mourning.

At that moment, one of the Holy Defenders rushed forward. "Kyle, it may not be too late!" He said, pressing his hand against Kyle's shoulder. "Get Stan to his mother! She can heal him!"

Kyle's eyes lit up. "Right!" He said, grabbing the bleeding Stan and lifting him up. Taking flight, he soared back towards the church, desperate to get to Stan's mom.

"Hey, did you hear that?" Butters told the girls, who were crouched around Wendy. "Stan's mom is a healer!"

"We have to get Wendy to her!" Red exclaimed. Despite her injuries, she took Wendy into her arms and began to fly after Stan and Kyle. On the ground, the crowd followed after them.

* * *

Father Maxi, Stan's parents, and the other church members were already outside when Kyle arrived, carrying Stan. "Stanley!" Sharon cried when she saw her bleeding son in Kyle's arm.

"He's hurt bad!" Kyle explained, gently setting Stan down at Sharon's feet. "Please, heal him."

"Wait!" A female voice called out from the sky. Everyone looked upwards to see Dark Angel Red, carrying the wounded Wendy in her arms. She flapped her wings as she landed on the ground next to Kyle.

"Don't just heal him!" She urged Sharon. "Heal Wendy, too!"

"What?!" Kyle shouted, flabbergasted. "After what she did to my friend? No way!"

By now, the rest of the crowd had arrived. "It was only in retaliation for you guys messing with us!" Bebe snapped, her snake hair hissing at Kyle. "If you hadn't attacked us first, we wouldn't have gone after you!"

Kyle growled, and his eyes began to glow as he charged his laser eyes. However, Father Maxi stepped between the two of them.

"Please, my children, let this fighting end," He urged them. "Forgiveness is the way of the Lord. Let us set aside our hatred and help one another. Sharon, save them both."

"Yeah," Choirboy Butters said, smiling.

Kyle grumbled while the girls' faces brightened. Sharon let out a sigh as she stepped towards both Stan and Wendy, but before she could heal them, a large shadow loomed over the crowd, blotting out the sky.

"What. . . is that?" Red asked as she and the rest of the crowd shielded their eyes from the large shadow.

As the dark shape loomed closer, a familiar voice emitted from it. "Ohmmmm. . . Ohmmmm. . . Ohmmmm," It said in a peaceful and tranquil tone.

Instantly, Kyle felt his blood run cold. _No, _he thought. _It can't be._

The large shape finally landed upon the ground in front of the crowd, revealing himself. Lo and behold, it was Zen Cartman.

"Namaste, my friends," Zen Cartman greeted, light radiating from his body. His eyes were closed and he sat in a meditative state.

"Eric?" Choirboy Butters said, his eyes widening. "Gee, fancy meeting you here."

"What the Hell is the fatass doing here?" Dark Angel Red asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kyle, meanwhile, simply stood ashen-faced as he gazed upon the person he thought he had gotten rid of. For a moment, he wondered, hoped, it was a mere hallucination, but that was simply too good to be true.

Somehow, Eric Cartman was back.

Slowly, Father Maxi approached Zen Cartman. "Um, my child, what brings you to this church?" He asked.

"I have come to bestow upon you my humble presence," Zen Cartman replied calmly, not opening his eyes. "For I have seen the light. I died, but I lived. Truly, I am at peace." He inhaled through his nose, then let out a sigh, smiling peacefully. The crowd exchanged glances with each other, confused.

Trembling, the Human Kite stepped forward. "This. . . this isn't right," He said, raising a quaking finger at Cartman. "You can't be here! I killed you!"

"Yes Kyle, you did," Zen Cartman replied, but there was no trace of anger in his voice. "And truly, namaste to you."

"What?" Kyle asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Namaste," Zen Cartman repeated. "It is a saying in the Hindu religion."

"What does it mean, though?" Kyle asked.

"It means. . ." Cartman whispered, and his eyes opened to reveal an unfathomable maliciousness in them, any trace of tranquility gone. _"Fuck you."_

A blinding blue light erupted from Cartman's body, causing everyone to shield their eyes. Instantly, everyone felt an immense power emanating from where Cartman was standing, causing even Stan and Wendy, both clinging to life, to stir awake and gaze weakly towards Cartman.

When the crowd looked back, they saw none other than Grand Wizard Cartman, his magic staff crackling with energy. Fear washed over the crowd, but none more so than Kyle, who could only stare helplessly at a problem he thought he'd solved.

Cartman gazed into Kyle's fearful eyes, his mouth twisting into a grin. "Are you afraid?" He asked the crowd, but Kyle in particular. "Good. Power's nothing without fear."

Several of the church children let out screams of terror as they were suddenly restrained by glowing purple chains. Kyle whipped his head around as he saw none other than the Goth Kids, using the **Power Bind **spell to ensnare random children in the crowd and pull them towards the Grand Wizard.

"Stan!" Randy shouted as he and Sharon were snatched by Henrietta and dragged towards her. Stan could only raise his arm feebly towards his parents as they were pulled away from him.

"E-Eric!" Butters squeaked as Pete lassoed him with the chains, dragging him towards him. Red was quick to react, hurling one of Butters' bells at Pete, striking him in the face and causing him to release Butters.

Father Maxi stepped forth. "This evil has no place at a church, young man!" He shouted at the Grand Wizard. "Take your devilish powers and leave this place!" He stopped in his tracks, however, as Cartman aimed the magic staff at him.

"Priest or not, you will respect my authority!" He threatened.

Kyle stepped forward, still not believing his eyes. "How?" He asked. "How did you come back?"

"That's not important now, is it?" The Grand Wizard replied, grinning. "All that matters is that I'm back, and this game. . . is about to become a living nightmare."

The crowd of children let out gasps of fear as several Native Hunters emerged from the trees, bows and arrows at the ready. A large Crusader stomped towards the terrified crowd, his armor and sword glistening in the light. He approached several choirboys, who trembled as they stared up at him. With a sneer, he swatted them with his shield as if they were flies, sending them flying through the air.

Father Maxi scooped up one of the wounded choirboys, a horrified expression on his face. Turning towards the Grand Wizard, he shouted, "By the power of God, I command you to stop!"

Cartman's eyes glistened as he turned to face the priest. His lips curled into a murderous grin.

"Sorry," He whispered darkly. "But there's only one _God _here."

And with that, he pulled out his phone, revealing his **Unholy Combustion **spell. He fired the attack at the priest, striking Father Maxi dead-center in the chest. Instantly, the priest exploded, showering the surrounding crowd in blood.

_"FATHER MAXI!"_ Choirboy Butters screamed in horror as he was drenched in the priest's blood. The girls, Kyle, and even some of Cartman's army watched on in utter horror at the puddle of blood where the priest had been standing mere moments ago. Cartman, meanwhile, simply caressed his staff, impressed.

"Sweet," He said.

Bebe was the first to recover. "We have to go!" She shouted, grabbing the injured Wendy and rushing down the road, desperate to get as far away from the Wizard as possible. The rest of the kids were quick to follow. Cartman's hunters and crusaders did their best to chase down the fleeing children, but were unable to catch all of them.

"Come on," Red said to Butters, who continued to stand, wide-eyed, at the bloody puddle where Maxi had stood. The choirboy was paralyzed in shock, and eventually Red simply scooped him up and took flight, carrying him in her arms.

After recovering from his shock, the Human Kite grabbed both Stan and Ike and flew after the rest of the fleeing children. One of the Native Hunters took aim with his bow and arrow, but Cartman raised his staff, signalling for him to lower his weapon.

Scott Malkinson and Dougie, now in his Dwarf Engineer form, walked up besides Cartman. "I don't understand," Dougie said, confused. "Why are we letting him go?"

"It's not enough for Kyle to die," Cartman whispered, holding his magic staff. "I want him scared. I want him helpless." His eyes darkened as he watched Kyle's form grow smaller until it finally vanished from sight.

"I want him to know. . . I've _won_."

* * *

_Read and review._


	19. A Common Enemy

_Playerhood18: You got that right._

_South Down: Hopefully._

_GBond007: We'll see._

_Warknight XL216: Well obviously Nelly wasn't thinking in those terms._

* * *

"You kids untie us right now!" Sharon demanded as she, her husband, the churchgoers and the captured members of Stan's group were led in chains by Cartman's small army of squires, crusaders, and hunters. Her commands fell on death ears, however, as the only respond was a slight whack from one of the crusader's swords, silently ordering her to keep silent.

Dwarf Engineer Dougie pushed his way through the marching band and towards Grand Wizard Cartman, leading the group at the front. "So, Grand Wizard, where are we going now?" He asked, a somewhat hesitant tone in his voice. Cartman's newfound power still unnerved him; just walking by his side, he felt like Cartman could annihilate him without a second thought.

"To find the key, for one," Grand Wizard Cartman replied, not even dignifying the lowly dwarf by looking in his direction. "But first, I have a score to settle with Kyle. After I'm finished with him, then I'll take the key."

Dougie gulped. "Um, no offense Cartman, but now that Kyle knows you're back, he'll probably form a strategy to counterattack," He pointed out. "Not that it'll work, of course! Since you're so powerful now, and all! Just, maybe we should've used the element of surprise. . ."

To his surprise, Cartman grinned. "I'd expect nothing less from that jew," He said casually. "He'll gather power, unite his friends, and try to fight me. He'll be so distracted about how to deal with me that he'll completely forget about the key."

His grip on his magic staff tightened, and his vision darkened. "When the time comes, I'll make him suffer," He whispered menacingly. "I'll crush his friends, destroy any hope he has of beating me. Then, I'll grant him the sweet release of death."

He whipped his head towards the Goth Kids, who were trailing a distance away. "You, emo kids!" He shouted. "Go out there and collect as many players as you can find! They will be added into my army!"

"Whatever," Pete said dismissively, whipping his hair. "If it makes this game more miserable for those conformists." The Goth Kids turned and dispersed into the woods, searching for any other players in the game.

As Cartman watched them go, he caught sight of a small figure a long distance away, standing atop a small cliff overlooking the valley.

It was the girl. His saviour.

For a moment, Cartman and the girl stared silently at each other. Her face was concealed by her motorcycle helmet, so he couldn't see her expression.

After a few moments, she simply nodded, as if giving him her approval, before she vanished from the cliff.

* * *

After their narrow escape from the Grand Wizard's dark powers, the remaining members of Stan and Kyle's group, along with the girls, had fled as fast as they could to the fringes of the Mystical realm. Stan and Ike held onto the Human Kite for dear life as they soared towards the closest safehold.

Finally, once they were at a safe enough distance from Cartman's forces, the group stopped to collect themselves. All of the kids breathed heavily as they struggled to catch their breaths, in disbelief at their escape.

The Human Kite let Ike go, but held on close to Stan, who was looking more ill by the moment. He was still heavily injured from his fight with Wendy, and since Cartman had taken Sharon, he didn't have a healer. Kyle still wasn't sure if he would make it.

As he held onto his best friend, one of the Zionist Rangers who had managed to escape strode over to him. "Kyle," He said, raising his arm and pointing at an object a distance away. "Look."

Hesitantly, Kyle followed the ranger's aim, and his eyes widened. There, a short distance away, was a Healing Fountain.

Kyle's face brightened. "Stan, get up," He said, pulling his injured friend to his feet. Hoisting him into the air, he carried his friend towards the fountain, setting him down next to it.

"W-What?" Stan asked groggily, his eyes heavy-lidded.

"It's a campaign totem," Kyle explained, a hopeful expression on his face. "It'll heal you. Just stay next to it for a couple minutes."

Stan groaned. He was still in pain, but at the same time, he could feel his injuries begin to mend themselves the longer he stayed next to the fountain. "Where are we?" He asked, glancing around.

Kyle pulled out his phone and switched the screen to the picture of the map. "We're at the Ninjew Hideout," He said, looking around. "In that case, better change." With a tap of his phone, he had transformed into the Master Ninjew.

While Stan healed next to the fountain, Kyle paced a distance away, taking the time to recollect his thoughts. Cartman's sudden reappearance had taken his mind for a spin - even if he had managed to reenter the game after Kyle killed him, how could he have caught up with him so quickly? But what really caught him off-guard was his _power_. The image of Cartman using the Unholy Combustion spell to obliterate Father Maxi was still embedded into his mind. That was a 5-cost spell, one of the rarest ones in the game. There was no way Cartman could've gotten it, especially so quickly after re-entering the game.

As he racked his brains for answers, the girls and Choirboy Butters arrived at the hideout a distance away. Medusa Bebe set the unconscious Angel Wendy down onto the ground, while Dark Angel Red landed and released Butters.

"Come on, Wendy!" Bebe said, kneeling over her wounded friend and shaking her. When Wendy didn't respond, Bebe began to apply CPR in a desperate attempt to revive her. Red, meanwhile, turned her attention to Butters, who had a thousand-yard stare strewn across his face as he gazed into the distance.

"Butters?" She said, standing next to him and placing a concerned hand on his shoulder.

"F-Father Maxi. . ." Butters stuttered, the memory of being showered in the priest's blood as he was mercilessly obliterated by Cartman fresh in mind. "H-He did nothing and E-Eric just. . ." He couldn't finish the sentence, his entire body shaking and his lip quivering.

"Butters. . ." Red whispered soothingly, wrapping her arms around him. As she comforted her, her eyes landed on the Healing Fountain Stan was laying next to. Immediately, her eyes widened.

"Bebe!" She shouted, alerting the blonde's attention. "It's a Healing Fountain! It can heal Wendy!"

"Right!" Bebe said, propping the unconscious Wendy up on her feet and preparing to drag her towards the totem.

Kyle, still mulling over how Cartman had returned, was snapped out of his thoughts by the sight of the girls approaching the Healing Fountain, and more importantly, Stan. Instantly, Kyle's thoughts of Cartman were set aside as his protective nature took hold.

The girls stopped in their tracks as a shuriken was launched at Bebe's feet. "You stop right there!" Kyle shouted, springing in front of them. "Not one step closer!" He was joined by Scout Ike, who defiantly blocked the girls' path.

"Get out of the way!" Bebe ordered, her snake hair hissing at the two. "You and your little boy scout!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Bebe doubled over in pain as Ike headbutted her in the stomach, causing her to release Wendy, who dropped onto the ground. "Who are you calling boy scout, bitch!" Ike shouted as he yanked on her blonde hair, eliciting a cry of pain from her. She tumbled across the field, Ike controlling her movements by yanking on her hair.

Red watched in bafflement as Ike wailed on Bebe, but she snapped to attention as she heard Kyle let out a war cry. Whipping around, she saw Kyle rush at her, shuriken in hand. His hand whipped out, the shuriken narrowly missing her face, and Red extended her wings and took flight, avoiding Kyle's weapon. Taking to the air, she launched a spiky rose at him, which Kyle barely dodged.

Undeterred, he flung his shurikens into the air, Red soaring through the air to avoid them. One of them managed to nick her wing, however. Letting out a pained hiss, Red landed on the ground roughly. Kyle quickly rushed towards her, wielding a shuriken, but Red got to her feet. Using her bare fists, she parried with Kyle, blocking his strikes and dodging the others.

Laying by the Healing Fountain, Stan watched the fight before him. By now, all of his injuries had practically vanished. Slowly, he inhaled a deep breath before getting to his feet and stepping forward, a look of resolve on his face.

Choirboy Butters, who was watching Kyle and Ike battle Bebe and Ike, conflicted on whether he should join in or not, slowly turned as she saw Stan pass him. Immediately, he rushed to block his path, raising his bells as if they were weapons.

"S-Stop right there, now!" He said, trying and failing to sound intimidating.

Stan simply rested his hand on Butters' arm, lowering them. "Heal Wendy," He commanded, softly but firmly. Butters gulped, and quickly obeyed, rushing to Wendy's side and dragging her towards the Healing Fountain, while Stan continued forward.

Kyle and Red continued to swing wildly at one another, while a couple of feet away Bebe struggled to pry Ike from her hair. As the two redheads lunged for each other, Stan grabbed both of them by the arms, halting their assaults.

"What the Hell are you doing?" Kyle asked Stan, struggling in his grip. "Let me go!"

"Kyle, we shouldn't be fighting them," Stan told him, tightening his grip on Kyle and Red's arms.

"What?!" Kyle blurted out. "But they nearly killed you!"

"Kyle, you saw what happened back there," Stan told him. "I was barely conscious, and even I saw it. I _felt _it. Cartman. . . he's stronger than before, and he has a bunch of people on his side now. More than we have."

The remaining members of their gang turned to stare at their leaders. Even Bebe and Ike stopped struggling with each other.

"I-I'll stop him," Kyle reassured Stan. "I've done it plenty of times in the past. Heck, I did it in this game. I killed him!"

"And yet he's back," Stan pointed out. "He's stronger than before, and he has us outnumbered." He gestured to the fragments of their formerly massive group, now reduced to maybe a little over a dozen kids. "You can't beat him, not alone. There's only one way to defeat him, and that's by working together." As he spoke, he turned to stare at the girls, who stared back, conflicted.

"Stan. . ." Kyle whispered, still having some reservations.

Butters walked up to them. "Stan's right," He said, his soft voice containing barely-contained anger. "That _fucker _killed Father Maxi. He's gotta pay for what he's done. If you're gonna take him down, count me in."

Stan turned to Bebe and Red. "Well?" He asked.

Bebe and Red shuffled a bit. "Well, between you and Cartman, it's pretty obvious who's the better option," Red mumbled. "Alright, we'll join forces, but just long enough for us to take out that fat piece of shit."

Stan smile in relief.

* * *

Imp Tweek rushed through the woods, a panicked look on his face. After his fight with Kyle in the Wild West and encounter with the President, he'd fled back to the Mystical realm. Unfortunately, in his hurry to escape, he'd gotten lost in the woods.

"Oh man, oh jeez, oh man!" He shouted to himself as he zipped through the bushes and trees, trying to retrace his steps. He'd been like this for hours, trying to find Craig and the others. He remembered the church Stan's gang was staying at, but he didn't want to risk going back there without his friends.

He went on alert when he heard a rustling sound in the bushes. Quickly, he jumped to hide behind a tree, peaking out to investigate.

As he watched, a pair of Native Hunters emerged from the bushes, dragging a net behind them containing an Indian Brave and two Space Grunts. "Let us go!" The captured kids shouted, but to no avail.

Tweek shrunk down, confused and scared. Whoever these Native Hunters were, they were targeting kids working for Craig's gang. Yet they couldn't be working for Stan's group, since they'd also captured an Indian.

"Keep quiet in there!" One of the Native Hunters ordered, jabbing at one of the Space Grunts with an arrow. "The Grand Wizard wants as many players to be apart of his army as possible!"

_Grand Wizard? _Tweek thought. There was only person he knew who went by that title.

Eric Cartman.

Instantly, all the pieces came together, and the picture wasn't good. If Cartman was assembling an army, that meant everyone, including Craig and his gang, were in grave danger.

As the Native Hunters disappeared with their catch, Tweek slowly tried to sneak away in the opposite direction. It was only then that he remembered he could use his phone to call Craig and warn him about the impending danger.

However, as Tweek fumbled to grab his phone, he collided with something large. Collapsing onto the ground, he found himself staring up at a heavyset, pale-skinned girl.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Henrietta asked as she loomed over the blond.

Tweek gulped.

* * *

"Where is Tweek?" Craig asked as he and his gang traveled across the Holy Road. Not too long ago, they had reached the church, only to find it suspiciously empty, with signs of a struggle having taken place inside.

"He should've met back up with us right now," Craig was mumbling to himself. "I hope he's alright. . ."

"I don't think he's our biggest priority at the moment," Token replied, standing at the front of the group.

"What?" Craig blurted out. "Then what is?"

"That!" Token shouted, pointing down the hill. It was at that moment that Craig saw the Ninjew Hideout at the bottom of the hill, and along with it, Stan's group and the girls.

Immediately, Craig's gang hide behind the hill. "Alright, better call the others. I hope the Cyborg Titan has them ready." He pulled out his phone and dialed the number of the Cyborg Titan.

"We've located Stan's group?" He asked as the titan's face showed up on his phone. "Where are you? We need-" He paused, however, when he noticed that the boy wasn't in his Cyborg Titan form. Instead, he was dressed as a Crusader.

"Hey, what the Hell is this?" Craig asked. "We're not playing knights."

The Crusader stared blankly at Craig through the phone, but didn't reply.

"Well?" Craig asked, annoyed. "Why are you dressed like that?" Once again, he got no reply.

Craig was snapped back to attention as he heard the rest of his gang let out a war cry and rush down the hill towards the Ninjew Hideout, switching costumes as they ran. "Guys, wait up!" He shouted, following close behind.

Below, Stan and Kyle looked upwards in surprise as they saw Hercules Clyde pounce down towards them, holding his club over his head. The two dodged out of the way as Clyde brought the club down on the ground, barely missing them.

"Your life source is mine!" Witch Doctor Token declared, pointing his staff at Medusa Bebe. Immediately Bebe felt her health start to be drained away from her.

Suddenly, an arrow was fired into Token's staff, causing it to fly out of his hands. He whipped his head towards Angel Wendy, who held her bow and arrow and had it trained on him.

Meanwhile, Hercules Clyde locked eyes with Red. "Hey, Red!" He shouted, holding his club tightly. "Remember me?"

Red smirked. "Oh?" She sneered. "Has the slave come back to his queen?"

"You're not my queen anymore!" Clyde declared before letting out a cry and charging towards her. Red surged forward to meet him.

Meanwhile, Stan and Kyle rushed over to Craig, who stood midway on the hill. "Craig, enough!" Stan shouted. "Call them off! There are more important matters at hand!"

"Yeah," Jimmy said as he and Timmy stood by the wayside. "C-Can't we all just g-get along?"

"The only thing that matters is getting that key," Craig retorted. "You were the only people standing in our way, and as soon as my army shows up, we'll take care of you for good! Granted, I don't know why they're dressed as knights, but whatever."

Stan and Kyle glanced at Craig's phone, which still had the Crusader's face on it. "That's what we were talking about, Craig!" Stan pointed out. "Your army. . . they're probably not taking orders from you anymore!"

"Why not?" Craig asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"It's Cartman!" Kyle explained. "I killed him, but he came back as a wizard, and he's assembling an army! I think he's taking kids from both our gangs and forcing them to join him!"

"That's preposterous!" Craig denied.

At that moment, a small group of sci-fi kids rushed out of the woods, looking tired and out of breath. "Craig!" One of them shouted, doubling over as he struggled to catch his breath. "Thank goodness we found you!"

"See?" Craig declared, a triumphant grin on his face. "My army is here!"

Kyle raised an eyebrow at the tired band of sci-fi geeks. "That's a pretty measly army," He commented.

"Craig," One of the Space Gunners said, limping up to him. "The Cyborg Command Center. . . it was overrun."

Craig's eyes widened. "What?" He whispered in disbelief.

"There was a breakout at the Alien Junkyard," The gunner explained. "The escapees attacked the command center. We were outnumbered; we had no choice but to flee."

Nearby, Token and Clyde ceased their scuffle with the girls, hearing the news. They turned to stare at Craig, a lost expression on their faces. Craig wore a similar expression.

Stan walked up to him. "See?" He said. "After your base got overrun, that would be the perfect opportunity for Cartman to get his clutches on your army and force them to work for him. At this point, the rest of your 'army' is probably running around confused, being picked off by the other players."

Craig glared at Stan, but he knew the latter was probably right.

"Come on, Craig," Stan said. "Cartman's stronger now, and each second he's capturing more players. If we're going to stand a chance at defeating him, we're gonna have to join forces."

Craig turned to stare at Token and Clyde, then at Jimmy and Timmy, who all had conflicted looks on their faces. Eventually, he turned back to stare at Stan, his eyes dark.

"I don't need your help," He growled. "Whatever Cartman is up to, I can handle it."

At that moment, Craig's phone received another call. He stared down at it and saw that the call was coming from Tweek. His eyes lightened as he quickly answered it.

"Tweek," He said happily. "Where are you?"

_"Craig!" _Tweek's voice screeched in fear on the other hand, quickly erasing any joy Craig felt. "Where are you? I need help!"

"Tweek?" Craig exclaimed, concerned. "What's going on?"

Through the phone, Craig could see Tweek had a panicked expression on his face. His skin was marred with cuts and bruises, and his hair was more of a mess than usual. He was running erratically, as if trying to get away from someone.

"These guys!" Tweek was saying as he moved through the woods. "They were capturing members of our gang! And Stan's gang, too! They said they were taking them to the Grand Wizard!" He paused briefly to catch his breath. "And then that Goth kid came, and-"

He was cut off when purple chains were latched around his body, dragging him to the ground. "Oh God!" Tweek shouted, his phone dropping out of his hands and landing on the ground.

"Tweek?!" Craig shouted in panic. The other kids gathered around the phone, worried expressions on their faces.

"Help me!" Tweek shouted as he was dragged out of view by the purple chains. The last thing Craig and the others saw before the phone went black was Pete's blank face as he picked up the phone and shut it off.

For a few moments, Craig stared, ashen-faced, at the blank phone. Around him, the other kids slowly backed away to give him space.

Eventually, Craig collapsed onto his knees, his phone slipping out of his fingers. A tear slipped down his face.

Hesitantly, Stan approached Craig. He opened his mouth to speak, but Craig cut him off before he even got the chance.

"Alright," He whispered, his voice cracking. "I'll join you."

* * *

_Read and review._


	20. Rallying for Battle

_South Down: Wendy was healed by the Healing Fountain._

_vh1660924: Eh, maybe not quite on that level. He's gotten a power boost, for sure, but as will be shown, he may not even be the most powerful player in the game (even if he thinks he is)._

_Playerhood18: We'll just have to see._

_GBond007: Let's find out._

_I am a burglar: Tweek doesn't have a staff._

_Malstygian: Yeah...but is he the final boss?_

* * *

A trio of Indian Braves stumbled through the woods, a lost and confused expression on their faces. Their skin was marred with cuts and bruises, and blood was seeping from their wounds.

"Oh God," One of them whispered, collapsing next to a tree. "I don't know how much longer I can go, you guys."

"We have to keep going, Brimmy," Another whispered, clutching his dislocated arm as he breathed heavily. "You don't want to end up like the others, do you?"

"They were so vicious. . ." The third one whispered, his eyes filled with terror. "I don't get it! We didn't do anything to them! Why did they attack us?"

The sound of a twig being snapped immediately caused all three of them to go on alert. They huddled together, clutching their hatchets close and whipping their heads around, desperate to not be caught off-guard.

The forest was deathly quiet. The only sound was the rapid beating of their hearts as they readied themselves for battle.

Something caught the second one's eye. Glancing upwards, he felt his heart stop as a hail of arrows rained down towards them from the skies. _"Arrowstorm!" _He cried, and the three immediately dove to avoid being skewered. One arrow plunged into the second brave's thigh, and he collapsed onto the ground, screaming in agony.

"Douglas!" Brimmy shouted as his friend clutched his bleeding leg in pain. At that moment, a purple chain was flung out of the shadows and latched itself around Douglas' body, yanking him down and dragging him away.

"Help me!" Douglas shouted as he was pulled into the shadows.

The other two braves were about to rush to his aid, but were stopped by several squires and hunters. "En garde!" One of them shouted, slamming his flail on the ground as a warning.

Biting their lips, the two braves slowly raised their hatchets, even knowing it was a futile effort. They were outnumbered and surrounded. The two trembled as their assailants closed in.

Suddenly, a laser beam zipped through the air, striking one of the hunters square in the back and blasting him right off his feet. A wave of surprise washed over the attackers as they whirled around in confusion.

More lasers were fired out of the darkness, striking the squires and hunters and blasting them into the air. Some of them tried to attack, but they couldn't tell where the blasts were coming from or who was firing them. The two braves simply stood where they were, just as confused as their assailants.

Who was helping them?

"Let's get out of here!" One of the squires shouted to his comrade, and the two fled into the woods. As they ran by a tree, however, they suddenly stopped in their tracks as a sickly green mist surrounded them.

"What's. . . happening. . ." One of them whispered as they felt their health be sapped from them. The two dropped onto their knees, then face-planted onto the ground.

Nearby, the two Indian Braves let out a gasp as they watched Witch Doctor Token emerge from the shadows, sapping the life source from the two squires. He turned to stare at them for a few moments, then turned back to the two fallen squires.

In the shadows, the native hunter holding the chains restraining Douglas watched the scene unfold. Though spooked, he tried to reel Douglas in while the others were distracted, hoping to at least get out with one successful catch.

_THUNK!_

The hunter let out a gagging noise as he felt something plunge into his back. Looking down, his eyes widened as the bloody tip of a spear ripped out of his chest. Immediately, the spear was yanked out, and the hunter collapsed onto the ground.

The last thing he saw before his vision turned dark was Incan Craig, casually striding past him while holding the spear.

The two braves watched on as Witch Doctor Token and Incan Craig approached. Though the two had rescued them, they were still on alert, curious of their intentions.

Slowly, Incan Craig unchained Douglas and helped him to his feet. He turned to gaze at the other two braves.

"Come with us," He said, firmly but softly.

* * *

It had been a day since Stan's group, the girls, and Craig's group had joined forces to combat Grand Wizard Cartman's growing army. And ever since then, the unified group had set about, searching for as many players as they could find, getting to them before Cartman's forces did, and bringing them back to the Ninjew Hideout. Any thoughts of getting the key had all but vanished from their minds. The only thing that mattered was stopping Cartman.

Kyle let out a relieved sigh as he saw Craig and Token emerge from the woods, taking with them three Indian Braves. The group usually split off in pairs to cover more ground and get more players, but Kyle always felt uneasy whenever they left. He couldn't shake the fear that something might happen to them while they were gone.

"We found these three in the woods," Token told Kyle when they arrived, gesturing to the braves. "They say they were part of a larger group, but the others got ambushed and taken."

Kyle groaned. It seemed for every player they'd rescued, Cartman successfully stole thrice that number.

A few minutes later, Wendy and Bebe emerged, holding hands with Bandita Sally. "We rescued this girl from hunters," Bebe said. She glanced down at Sally's grinning, bload-soaked face, then added, "Well, rescued _her _is subjective. . ."

Kyle scanned the area around them. In the day they'd been at this, they'd managed to gather lost members from both Stan and Craig's group, along with other players. After they'd been brought to the hideout, they'd either been healed of their injuries, either by the fountain or Friar Jimmy, or been set to work training.

That is, for the inevitable battle between them and Cartman's forces.

The idea of having these other players take part in a war made Kyle queasy. But he didn't feel like he had much of a choice; he'd seen Cartman's powers back at the church, and the way he'd so callously dispatched Father Maxi let him know he was more than willing to use them. He couldn't take any chances. He was going to need all the help he could get to take him on, especially since he had no way of knowing how much Cartman's army had grown since their last encounter.

In the fields, Stan and Red had propped up several scarecrows wearing armor similar to that of Cartman's soldiers. "Alright, so these guys are gonna be more shielded than you guys," Stan was telling a group of braves. "Which is why you need to know where to aim."

Walking up to a scarecrow dressed like a squire, Red, in her Dragonslayer form, said, "For this squire, wait for him to bring his flail down. When he does, dodge out of the way. The force he puts into the blow will leave him open to attack, and then you'll-"

_THWACK!_

With a mighty swing of her axe, Red decapitated the scarecrow in a single blow. The braves all said, "Ooh!" in unison as the head of the scarecrow rolled towards their feet.

"Of course, for this 5th grade crusader here," Stan went on, strolling over to a larger scarecrow wearing a large helmet that concealed his face. "That attack may not work so well, since his helmet and shield would block that attack. Thus, the wisest choice would be to go for the eyes." Jumping into the air, he plunged his sword through the visor of the helmet, where the eyes were located.

The braves watching on shuddered.

Kyle sighed as he watched the pair educate the warriors. Incan Craig, also watching, strode up to him.

"So, what's our plan?" He asked.

Kyle pulled out his phone and scanned the picture of the map. "We can't stay here forever," He told him. "In a few hours, we're gonna head over to the Elven Sanctuary, fortify our position, and wait until Cartman arrives."

"Are you sure we can beat him?" Craig asked.

Kyle opened his mouth to respond, to tell him that of course he was sure. But he knew he couldn't lie.

"I don't know," Was all he said, hanging his head low.

* * *

Grand Wizard Cartman stood atop the balcony of his castle as he surveyed his forces below them.

In the time since he'd last encountered Kyle and his group, he'd magically conjured a large, tall fortress out of the ground, to give himself and his forces a base from which to plan out their attack. Below him, his forces trained themselves for battle.

Four scarecrows, each of them designed after Stan, Wendy, Bebe and Red respectively, were lined up against the field. In front of them, four Native Hunters stood, reminiscent of a firing squad, their arrows aimed at them.

"Ready!" A Crusader said, his sword raised high. "Aim! _Fire_!" He brought his sword down, giving the signal.

Quick as lightning, four arrows zipped through the air, each of them plunging into the scarecrows. The Stan scarecrow had been pierced through the head, the Red one in the chest, the Bebe one in the eye, and the Wendy one had been decapitated, the arrow tearing through its neck.

Grand Wizard Cartman immediately burst out laughing, slamming his fist on the balcony. He could just picture that scene happening for real. He was torn from his laughter by another arrow being fired, and he looked to see another hunter, having fired an arrow into another scarecrow's crotch.

"Ey!" He shouted, causing all heads to whip up at him. "What did I tell ya?! No shooting people in the dick!"

"Sorry," The Native Hunter called out sheepishly.

Turning around, Grand Wizard Cartman strode back into his castle, where he was met with Dwarf Engineer Dougie. "Status report, Dougie," He demanded.

"Um, progress is proceeding nicely," Dougie explained as the two walked through the hallways. On both sides of them were cells, each one containing players that had been successfully captured. Several of these players had not too long ago been prisoners of Craig's gang, while others had been their detainees.

Now, both were prisoners to Cartman's forces, and soon enough, would be part of his army.

"Each hour, we gain more, er, recruits," Dougie told the Grand Wizard. "Some need a bit more "persuasion", but regardless, they each end up a loyal member of your army."

"Nice," Grand Wizard Cartman said, grinning. "When we strike, Kyle and his friends won't stand a chance."

"Yes," Dougie said. "However, one recruit is proving a bit more _difficult_ than the others."

He led the Grand Wizard to a particular dungeon. Instantly, the sound of angry shrieking pierced their ears, causing Cartman to briefly recoil before entering the room.

"Let go of me!" Tweek was screaming. He was strapped to a table, his arms and legs bound by heavy chains. On all sides, guards surrounded him, poking and prodding at him with swords and arrows.

"Submit to Grand Wizard Cartman," A Crusader demanded forcefully.

"Never!" Tweek shouted defiantly, struggling in his chains. One Native Hunter hovered an arrow over his mouth, only for Tweek to jerk his head upwards and sink his teeth into the hunter's hand. The boy let out a high-pitched shriek and jumped backwards, clutching his bleeding hand.

"He's been like this ever since we brought him in," Dougie explained. "The other recruits only lasted a few hours at the most, but he's been defiant for an entire day. We've tried every tactic we could, but he just won't cave."

Cartman huffed, unimpressed. "Alright, you guys, step aside," He told his guards. "I'll handle this."

Obediently, his guards stepped back, allowing the Grand Wizard to stroll up next to Tweek, who stared at him hatefully. "Tweek, my man," He said, trying to sound friendly. "You know I don't wanna have to put you through this. You can make this stop whenever you want. Really, _you're_ making _us_ suffer having to do this to you."

"I'll never join you," Tweek spat, his voice hoarse. "I'm loyal. . . to Craig."

"You have one last chance, Tweek," Cartman said, his voice soft. "Don't make me have to do this."

Tweek bit his lip, but found the nerve to whisper, "Screw. . . you."

Cartman sighed. "Alright, if that's what you want," He said, shrugging as he turned around. "Just remember, you made this happen."

Pulling down his pants, Cartman whipped out his phone and summoned his **Super Fart **spell. Nearby, the guards, and even Dougie, quietly exited the room to avoid being caught in the crossfire of what was going to happen next.

With a grunt, Cartman expelled a noxious gas from his rear end. The gas hit Tweek like a hurricane, nearly ripping him off the table, with only his restraints keeping him steady. All the other supplies in the room went flying into the wall.

Tweek coughed and gagged violently, the toxic fumes filling his nostrils. His skin turned green as he felt bile crawling up his throat.

"Submit to me," Cartman ordered, not turning around.

Swallowing his bile, Tweek defiantly croaked out, "N-Never. . ."

No sooner had the words left his mouth that Cartman unleashed another massive fart into his face. Tears sprang from the blond's eyes, his entire body shuddering as the sickly green gas hovered around him like a phantom.

"Submit to me," The Grand Wizard repeated, his voice void of emotion.

Choking on his tears, Tweek whispered, "N-No," then closed his eyes as he felt another expulsion of gas strike him with as much force as the previous ones.

This went on for several minutes. Eventually, Dougie, covering his nose, felt the need to enter the fetid dungeon and call out, "Grand Wizard, enough! He can't take much more! _We _can barely take it!" He gestured to the other guards, some of whom had passed out from taking in the fumes.

Huffing in annoyance, Cartman pulled up his pants. On the table, Tweek, unable to hold it in anymore, retched violently onto the ground, sobbing profusely.

As Cartman stared at the tortured blond, considering his next move, Scott Malkinson rushed into the hallway, saying, "Grand Wizard, you have a visitor!" He froze when he smelled the noxious gas, and quickly ran down the hallways to avoid puking.

"Visitor?" Cartman said, intrigued. Who could possibly be visiting him?

He soon got his answer. Striding down the hallways towards the dungeon was none other than the girl.

"Well, if it isn't my savior," Cartman said, grinning as the masked girl approached him.

"Just checking to see your progress," She replied casually as she passed the guards. Unlike everyone else, she held her head up high, seemingly not intimidated by the Grand Wizard. "So, how are things going?"

"Like you even need to ask," Cartman said, waving her off. "I'm, like, the most powerful player in this game. Even Kyle and his group is afraid of me. Everyone respects my authority now."

"Except this unruly fellow, it seems," Dougie said, gesturing to Tweek, strapped to the table. He was coughing heavily from the fumes, but regardless, he glared scornfully at the Wizard, refusing to submit to him.

"Despite everything, he just won't join us," Dougie explained to her.

The girl hummed thoughtfully. "Let me see if I can help with that," She said, striding past Cartman and into the dungeon. The Grand Wizard raised an eyebrow; if even he couldn't make Tweek submit, what made this girl think she could?

The girl walked around the table, circling Tweek like a predator stalking her prey. She trailed a finger down the table, sliding it across Tweek's body, eliciting a shudder from him. Regardless, he glared defiantly at her, determined to resist whatever she had in store.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the girl grabbed Tweek by the hair, violently jerking his head upwards so he was facing her. Delving into her pocket, she pulled out one of her spells and activated it.

"W-What are you doing?!" Tweek squeaked in terror as he locked eyes with the girl's, though hers were concealed by her motorcycle visor. At that moment, he felt something pierce his brain.

**_"Join Cartman."_**

It was her voice, but she hadn't spoken it. He'd heard it in his mind, like she was talking to him telepathically.

**_"Join Cartman."_**

"N-No," Tweek whispered, shaking his head. Despite his refusal, he could feel _something _latching into his mind, like a pair of strong hands grabbing hold of his brain. They pressed down harder on him as the order was repeated.

**_"Join Cartman."_**

"J-Join Cart. . . no!" Tweek screamed, thrashing violently around on the table. Squeezing his eyes shut, he shouted, "Get out of my head!"

At the entrance of the dungeon, Cartman, Dougie and the guards watched on, an eerie feeling creeping up their spines as they watched Tweek devolve into a violent fit, despite the girl seemingly doing nothing to him.

"What the fuck?" Cartman whispered, his face blank.

_**"Join Cartman."**_

"No!" Tweek screamed, straining so much that his chains threatened to snap. He could feel the hands pressing harder on his brain, except now the fingers had transformed into needles, violently prying into his mind. As they did, the voice repeated in his mind, over and over.

_**"Join Cartman. Join Cartman. Join Cartman."**_

_"No!"_

_"NO!"_

**_"NOOOOOOO!"_**

And then, Tweek fell silent. His entire body collapsed onto the table, his eyes closed, his head slumping to the side. He lay on the table, his entire body still.

Hesitantly, Cartman and his forces entered the dungeon. One of the hunters examined Tweek's body, whispering, "Is he. . . dead?"

The girl raised an arm. "Wait," She whispered calmly.

After what seemed like an eternity, Tweek's eyes slowly creaked open. His face was entirely blank, void of all emotion. Cartman and the others immediately backed away, a little unnerved.

Slowly, the girl unchained Tweek and picked him up off the table, gently setting him down on his feet. She led him towards Cartman, a hand on his shoulder. The Grand Wizard eyed Tweek carefully, ready to strike if the blond suddenly attacked.

Tweek stared at Cartman, showing no emotion. Finally, he opened his mouth.

"Your wish is my command, Grand Wizard," He said, his voice robotic.

Cartman blinked. The guards all exchanged confused glances.

The girl gestured towards Cartman, and he said, "Uh, pick up those weapons and set them on the table."

"As you wish," Tweek replied. Turning around, he strode over to the fallen weapons, carefully picking them up before neatly organizing them on the table. Everyone in the room watched on, stunned.

"Whoa," Cartman whispered, a grin forming on his face.

"He's all yours," The girl said, smirking behind her visor as she turned to leave. However, Cartman grabbed her hand.

"How did you do that?" He asked, stunned.

"Oh Grand Wizard," The girl said, grinning. "I have spells even _you _don't have."

"You gotta join me!" Cartman sputtered. "I mean, Kyle doesn't stand a chance against me regardless, but with you by my side, he definitely won't stand a chance!"

"Thanks, but I have more important matters to attend to," The girl said casually, turning to leave. However, Cartman blocked her path.

"Come on!" He exclaimed. "I am the Grand Wizard, and if I say I want you to join me, you-"

She set a hand on his shoulder. Immediately, Cartman went silent. The girl made no aggressive move, but for some strange reason, he felt weaker as she made physical contact with him.

Almost unconsciously, he stepped to the side, allowing her to pass. "Thank you," Was all she said before she made her way down the hallway, vanishing from view.

The Grand Wizard stood still for a few moments, silent. The guards stared at him intently.

Eventually, Cartman shook his head, saying, "What are you assholes standing around here for?! Get back to work!"

With that, they dispersed to attend to other matters.

* * *

"How close are we to the Underworld?" Annie asked Kenny as the two made their way through a valley.

Kenny examined the map. "(It shouldn't be _too _far away,)" He reassured her. "(We're in the Orc Pit, and after that, we'll get to the Elven Sanctuary, and that'll lead us to the Underworld.)"

"Oh, great!" Annie said cheerfully.

As the two were about to exit the valley, they noticed a shadow emerging from around a corner. Quickly, Kenny grabbed Annie and the two hid behind a large rock. Peaking out, they watched as the figure emerged.

"Why hello there!" The Mormon Missionary greeted cheerfully. Instantly, the two relaxed.

"(Oh, it's just a missionary,)" Kenny said dismissively. He was about to emerge from his hiding spot when Annie whispered, "Who's he talking to?"

Kenny froze as he realized that the missionary wasn't facing them; he had no idea they were there. Which meant someone _else _was in the valley.

Jumping back down behind the rock, Kenny and Annie watched as the people the missionary had spoken to made themselves known. A small group of squires and hunters rushed down the valley, approaching the older boy and surrounding him.

"Who are they?" Annie asked, confused. Kenny shook his head, not knowing the answer himself.

"You guys look lost," The missionary said, oblivious to the intentions of the group. "Do you need directions? May I interest you guys in this book?" He pulled out the Book of Mormon and showed it to the group. "It's name is-"

_THWACK!_

Behind him, one of the squires struck the missionary in the temple with his spiky flail. The 5th grade boy went down like a sack of bricks, the book dropping onto the ground next to him.

Kenny and Annie jumped. "(Holy shit,)" Kenny whispered in fear.

"Alright, let's get this guy back to the Grand Wizard's Castle," One of the squires ordered as the others struggled to lift up the older boy. "He'll make a fine crusader."

Kenny and Annie shrunk down behind the rock as the group carried the boy out of the valley, Kenny covering Annie's mouth to keep her from screaming. His heart thumped in his chest as the group vanished from sight.

Once he was sure they were gone, he uncovered Annie's mouth. "What the fuck was that?!" She half-shouted, half-whispered. "Who? What? Why?"

"(Shush,)" Kenny said. "(They said something about a Grand Wizard. That can only mean one person.)"

"Cartman?" Annie squeaked. "W-What does he want?"

"(Whatever it is, it's not good,)" Kenny said. "(Never mind that. We can still make it to the Underworld; we just have to avoid being-)"

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

"(-Spotted,)" Kenny whispered as he and Annie heard the voice behind them. Slowly, the two of them turned around, expecting to see another hunting party. However, their fear subsided when they saw who it actually was.

"You Nazi conformist cheerleaders are coming with me," Firkle threatened, holding a switchblade.

Kenny and Annie exchanged glances before turning back to the Goth kindergartner, somewhat amused. Annie slowly approached him, dismissively saying, "Look kid, you're really cute with that tiny knife of yours, but we have places to go. So could you kindly-"

Annie was cut off as Firkle suddenly surged forward and punched her in the crotch. She doubled over in pain, stumbling backwards. Kenny rushed over to catch her before she fell. The blonde coughed violently, clutching her aching groin.

". . . Why did that hurt me?" She asked.

* * *

"Oh boy, Timmy, it's so nice Craig and the gang are getting along with Stan and Kyle again," Friar Jimmy said to Pope Timmy as the two made their way through the woods, looking for any stray players.

"TIMMY!" Timmy shouted.

"Sure, it kinda sucks that Cartman's planning to kill us all, but I guess you gotta look on the bright side of things," Jimmy said.

The two paused when they heard a twig snapping a distance away. They turned around just in time to see a shadowy figure move out of sight, vanishing into the darkness.

"H-Hello?" Jimmy said, hobbling over to the bushes where the figure had vanished. "Is anyone there?"

"TIMMY!" Timmy shouted, rolling up next to Jimmy.

"What he said," Jimmy called out, scanning the area. "We're not going to hurt you! We want to help you! There are some dangerous fellows out in this game, and we want to get to you before they do."

A deathly silence followed. "A-Are you still there?" Jimmy asked after a few moments.

No response.

"Gee Timmy, I guess we scared them off," Jimmy said regretfully. "Oh well, better report back to base-"

_BOOM!_

A bomb, tossed at the two from behind, erupted a few inches away from them. The explosion sent both of them flying through the air. Timmy was flung out of his wheelchair and landed violently on the ground, while Jimmy was slammed into a tree and collapsed a few feet away.

"Uh. . . uuuuh. . ." Jimmy groaned, his entire body aching. Through his fuzzy vision, he could just barely make out two figures emerging from the bushes, one larger than the other.

"You weren't wrong, Jimmy," Nathan whispered, smiling coldly as he knelt down next to him. "There _are _dangerous fellows in this game. . ."

That was the last thing Jimmy heard before everything went dark.

* * *

_Read and review._


	21. Mystery in the Air

_Playerhood18: Let's find out, shall we?_

_vh1660924: All will be revealed in time._

_South Down: You couldn't be a little more descriptive?_

_GBond007: Questions to be revealed._

* * *

When Jimmy opened his eyes, he and Timmy were in a dark room. His vision was fuzzy, so he could hardly tell where exactly they were; he instinctively reached for his phone, but found it had been removed from his grip.

A distance away, he could just barely make out people talking. Craning his head in the direction of the voices, he could see three figures. He couldn't see them clearly, but one of them was significantly larger than the other two. _Mimsy._

Next to him was none other than Nathan, and a. . . girl. Her back was turned to them, and he couldn't see well regardless, but she was dressed in purple and had long, dark hair, her motorcycle helmet in her arm. She was currently speaking with Nathan, with Mimsy loitering around next to him, staring absent-mindedly.

"I thought I told you not to interfere with Kyle's forces," The girl was currently saying to the pair, seemingly unaware of Jimmy's regained consciousness.

"Ah, come on, boss," Nathan replied coolly. "You told us we could have some fun once we did our job. That's what we were doing; having ourselves some fun."

"And you couldn't have done that before I set all of this up?" The girl chastised them. "You're lucky Kyle's attention is focused on Cartman at the moment; if he or anyone else in his group learns that those two are missing, it's gonna be your funeral."

"It's like you said, boss, Kyle's attention is on Cartman, now," Nathan reassured her. "So what if two guys in his little army goes missing? He'll probably just think they were captured by the Grand Wizard."

"Yeah, Cartman's super scary now, eh bosses!" Mimsy piped up. "Kyle's gotta be crapping his pants thinking about him!"

He was met with Nathan's fist to his temple. "Shut up, Mimsy!" He shouted in anger, shouting his fist at him.

"Careful!" The girl snapped, rushing over to Nathan and reaching up to grab his head. A distance away, Jimmy squinted his eyes, wondering why the girl was so spooked.

As he watched, the girl brushed Mimsy's hair aside, revealing a metal band wrapped around his head, knocked loose by Nathan's punch. "These things are fragile; you shouldn't be fucking with them," She scolded the two, readjusting the band over his head.

"Sorry, boss," Nathan apologized.

"You _will _be sorry if these are damaged," The girl said, walking over to him and checking the band over his head next. "These are the only things that will protect you from the wave. Break it, and you'll be just as vulnerable as everyone else."

_Wave? _Jimmy wondered, confused. _Vulnerable? What is she talking about?_

"Anywho, Cartman's a fool," The girl sneered, releasing Nathan's band. "That totem I gave him might have increased his energy generation, but not his brain. Now he thinks he's invincible."

Placing her helmet back over her head, the girl turned to leave. "I'll let you have your fun with these two," She said as she opened the door. "But dispose of them quickly. If Kyle's forces track them down to your location. . . that wouldn't be good for you." With that, she exited the room, slamming the door behind her.

As soon as she was gone, Nathan turned towards Jimmy and the still unconscious Timmy. "Well, now," He whispered coldly. "It's just the four of us, now."

Slowly, he walked towards Jimmy and Jimmy, cracking his knuckles and grinning.

"Whats say you and us play a game?"

* * *

Kyle let out a weary sigh as he watched his growing army train and converse with one another in the fields. There were so many of them now, more than Stan's initial group back at Many Moon's Stronghold.

And yet he still wondered if it would be enough.

"Kyle, is everything alright?" Stan the Great asked as he approached his friend, sensing his doubt.

"I killed him," Kyle whispered, his eyes dark. "Not too long ago. When I left you. . . I killed Cartman. I shot him in the head, I saw the light leave his eyes. And I did it precisely to make sure he wouldn't endanger the game. And yet here he is now, more of a threat than ever. I kind of wonder if this is my fault. If I hadn't killed him, maybe he wouldn't have come back like this."

"Okay, so Cartman's back," Stan replied. "Doesn't mean you can't kill him again."

"But I don't know if I can," Kyle said. "You saw how he killed Father Maxi." The vision of the priest being blown apart by Cartman's Unholy Combustion spell played out in his mind.

"Kyle, it doesn't matter if Cartman's more powerful now," Stan told him. "You're still one of the most powerful players we've got. If anyone can take him out, it's you."

That caused Kyle to snap to his head up, his eyes widening briefly. A flashback played over in his mind, that of his brief conversation with the masked girl, the girl who had sent him to kill Cartman in the first place.

_If anyone can take him out, it's you._

Kyle stared at the ground, his eyes narrowing briefly. The girl had told him to bring Cartman's body to her after he killed him. He'd obeyed, never questioning why she wanted the body. He'd assumed she simply wanted proof he'd done the deed, but now he wondered if it was for other purposes.

"Look out!" Token abruptly shouted, piercing Kyle's thoughts.

Glancing upwards, Kyle and the rest of his group let out cries of horror as a hail of arrows rained down on them. Quickly, the kids scrambled to dodge the arrows as they embedded themselves into the ground. Several kids weren't so lucky, and were struck by the arrows.

"Oh, shit!" Stan shouted, rushing towards one kid who had gotten pierced in the shoulder by one of the arrows. "What the Hell was that?"

"Arrowstorm spell," Craig said, grunting as he ripped an arrow out of a grunt's leg, eliciting a yelp of pain. "It must've been cast by Cartman's cronies. They're trying to scare us, keep us unfocused."

Kyle stared at the field before him, which was now riddled with arrows and injured kids. "They know we're here," He said solemnly. "It can't be long until they launch an attack. We're gonna have to move on earlier than I'd hoped."

Standing at the front of the hideout in view of everyone else, Kyle shouted, "Everyone, get a move on. We'll go to the Elven Sanctuary to better fortify our positions for when the Grand Wizard arrives. But first, is everyone accounted for?"

The large group all shouted out their names. Kyle let out a relieved sigh, but noticed that two kids were unaccounted for.

"Where's Jimmy and Timmy?" He asked.

The group looked around, trying to find the two handicapped children. "They're not here," Hercules Clyde said, shaking his head.

Kyle groaned. "Stan, you lead the group to the sanctuary," He commanded him. "Clyde's phone has the map on it; that'll guide you. I'll go look for Jimmy and Timmy."

"I'm coming with you," Craig said.

Kyle glanced towards him. "You really don't need to-"

"I lost Tweek," Craig interrupted. "I'm not losing two more members of my gang."

Kyle sighed. "Fine," He relented, gesturing for Craig to follow him. "We'll track them down using their phones. The rest of you, get a move on!"

"You heard him," Stan said, raising his sword. "Let's go!"

With that, the massive group headed off, while Kyle and Craig went in the opposite direction.

* * *

In the Orc Pit, Hermes Kenny and Annie panted heavily, exhausted and out of breath, as they faced off against Firkle, who approached them slowly.

"He keeps. . . punching me. . . in the vag," Annie wheezed, clutching her sore groin. "Why? _Why does he keep punching me in the vag?!"_

"(Don't worry, Annie,)" Kenny told her, even as he himself was worn out from their fight with the pint-sized fighter. "(I've unlocked a few spells since I entered this game. One of them should come in handy.)"

"Could you pick one quickly, then?!" Annie shouted as she dodged out of the way of a fireball spell summoned by Firkle. As she stumbled across the ground, a pair of thick Power Bind chains were flung by Firkle and latched themselves onto her body, dragging her to the ground.

"Kenny!" She shouted as Firkle reeled her in like a fisherman would his catch.

"(I'm on it!)" Kenny reassured her, flipping through his spells on his phone. Finally, he activated his **Hyperdrive **spell. Instantly, fiery energy surged around him as Kenny felt his speed increase exponentially.

By now, Firkle was on top of the chained Annie, his tiny fists smacking against her face. "Get off me!" She was cried, trying futilely to fight back against the kindergarten Goth. "Get the fuck off of me!"

Firkle was distracted from beating up Annie as he noticed a bright orange light through his peripheral vision. Turning around, he saw Hermes Kenny, surrounded by fire and vibrating violently. Hopping off Annie, he charged towards his other opponent, readying his Power Bind.

However, Kenny was quicker. Zooming towards Firkle with lightning speed, he collided with the kindergartner with such force his phone went flying out of his hand. The young Goth soared through the air, slamming into the wall of the valley so hard he left a small dent in the rocky cliffside. He dropped soundlessly to the ground, down for the count.

As his spell faded, Kenny rushed towards Annie, unchaining her. "(Are you alright?)" He asked, helping her to her feet.

"My baby maker isn't," Annie grumbled, clutching her aching crotch where Firkle had punched her repeatedly. "Let's just get out of here and-" She cast her eyes upwards, and her skin paled.

"(What?)" Kenny asked.

"Hey, you took care of the Goth, right?" Annie said, wincing.

"(Yeah,)" Kenny replied.

"Well, it seems _he _disagrees," Annie said, pointing behind Kenny. He turned around, and his eyes widened as he saw Pete, backed by over a dozen Squires and Native Hunters, standing at the top of the valley, glaring down at them.

"So, you two conformist bitches took out Firkle?" Pete asked, flipping his hair. "You'll pay in blood, for that." He waved his arm, and his forces surged downhill towards them.

Kenny let out a sigh. "(Well Annie, it was nice knowing you,)" He told her, patting her on the shoulder.

Annie narrowed her eyes at the oncoming attack force. "It's a good day to die," She sneered, cracking her knuckles.

And with that, the two charged.

* * *

"Time to start our newest game," Nathan called out to Jimmy and Jimmy. "I thought it up myself. I call it "Dodge the Bomb"."

Hanging from a cliffside, suspended by vines, Jimmy called down, "That doesn't sound like it took much thought."

"TIMMY!" Timmy shouted, hanging next to Jimmy.

"Here's the rules," Nathan called out to them, bouncing a bomb in his hands like it was a dodgeball. "Me and Mimsy here are gonna throw the bombs, and you're gonna try to dodge 'em. If you get blown up, you lose. If the vine snaps, you fall and snap your necks, and you lose. Any questions?"

"Is there a way for us to win?" Jimmy asked.

"Let me think," Nathan said, placing a hand on his chin. Then, he shouted, "Nope!" And tossed the bomb up at the two. Jimmy and Timmy swung to avoid it, and the bomb hit the side of the wall and exploded, the two just barely avoiding the blast.

"My turn!" Mimsy shouted, chucking his bomb up at the two. His aiming was off, however, and the bomb soared up past Jimmy and Timmy before coming back down towards him and Nathan.

"Look out!" Nathan shouted, and he and Mimsy jumped to avoid the bomb. It exploded, sending the pair flying several feet, landing on the ground roughly.

"Oops," Mimsy said, on his head with his legs in the air.

Getting up, Nathan struck Mimsy's hip, flipping him over. "I'll take it from here!" He snapped, pulling out another bomb. He stormed over to the cliffside, preparing to throw it.

"Get ready, Timmy," Jimmy warned his friend as they prepared to dodge the bomb once more.

Suddenly, a laser blast zipped through the woods. It struck the bomb right as Nathan was about to throw it, detonating it. Nathan let out a cry as the bomb exploded in his hand, blasting him into the wall. He collapsed onto the ground, covered in soot and burn marks.

Stunned, Jimmy and Timmy whipped their heads towards the source of the laser. Their eyes widened as they saw Ninjew Kyle and Incan Craig rush out of the darkness and towards the cliffside.

"Guys!" Jimmy shouted. "How did you find us?"

"We were trying to track you down with your phones, but they weren't on you," Kyle informed them. "Luckily, those exploding bombs weren't exactly quiet."

Crawling across the ground, Nathan groaned, "Get 'em, Mimsy."

"On it, boss!" Mimsy shouted. He prepared to rush at the two, but Craig slammed into him, knocking him onto his back. Pinning him down, Craig plunged the tip of his spear into his chest.

While Craig handled Mimsy, Kyle threw his shurikens, cutting the vines holding Jimmy and Timmy. They dropped down towards the ground, but Kyle caught them as they fell. "Thanks, Kyle," Jimmy said as he set him down.

Kyle turned towards Nathan, who was trying to crawl away. "Not so fast," He said, placing a foot on his back, stopping Nathan in his tracks. He was about to finish him off, but Jimmy, walking with his staff, halted him.

"Wait, Kyle," He said, hobbling up towards him. "When I was captured by him, I saw him talking to a girl."

"A girl?" Kyle whispered, his eyes lighting up. "What did she look like? Was she wearing purple, with a motorcycle helmet?"

"My vision was a little fuzzy, but yes," Jimmy said. "She said something about giving Cartman a totem that increased his power. She said she didn't want Nathan interfering with your forces."

Kyle gritted his teeth in frustration. So the girl, whoever she was, had been responsible for Cartman's resurrection and power boost. And _he'd _assisted her in it.

Grabbing Nathan by the collar, Kyle pulled him close and growled, "What the Hell is going on? Why did she give Cartman of all people a totem? Doesn't she have any idea how dangerous that is?"

Despite his injuries, Nathan chuckled. "Cartman?" He sneered. "He's just a pawn. _All _of you are."

Kyle narrowed his eyes. "A pawn for what?" He asked. "What does she want with him?"

"I ain't telling you nothing," Nathan replied coolly. "And there's _nothing _you can do that'll make me."

Kyle growled, and reeled his arm back for a punch, but Jimmy stopped him. "I think I have a better idea," He said, hobbling up to Nathan. Reaching out, he brushed Nathan's hair.

"W-What are you doing?" Nathan asked, his cocky charade melting as the metal band around his head was revealed.

"Something tells me you wouldn't want this damaged," Jimmy said, taking the band off of his head.

"N-No!" Nathan shouted, his smug exterior vanishing immediately. "Give that back!"

"I'd be happy to," Jimmy replied, grinning. "Would you like it in two pieces, or three?" He tightened his grip on the metal band, threatening to snap it in two.

"No!" Nathan cried. "Don't damage it! It can't be damaged! It's my only protection!"

"Protection from what?" Kyle asked. "Talk, while it's still in one piece."

Gulping, Nathan relented. "Alright," He said, hanging his head. "She came to me and Mimsy while the game was still in production. She promised us a huge reward if we did as she said, that we could get whatever we wanted. Warned us that if we didn't, we'd share the same fate as everyone else. These bands were gonna spare us from that fate."

"What fate?" Kyle questioned. "Who is that girl?"

Nathan bit his lip, visibly nervous. "Answer me!" Kyle shouted, shaking him violently.

"Alright!" Nathan relented. "Her name is-"

Before he could answer, a flash of blue illuminated in Kyle's eye. Glancing upwards, he saw a bolt of lightning spiral towards him. Quickly, he released Nathan and rushed to avoid the attack.

But the attack wasn't meant for him.

Nathan only had time to let out a terrified cry as he was engulfed by the lightning strike. The others shielded their eyes from the blinding light, feeling the raw energy surging from the strike.

After a few seconds, the light died down, and the boys dared to look back. When they did, they saw Nathan's electrified corpse, lying face-down on the ground. His limbs were twitching slightly from the electricity, but there was no doubt that he was dead.

Kyle approached Nathan's fried corpse, getting down on his knees and inspecting his body. He knew immediately that it had to have been the girl. It appeared she hadn't wanted her name revealed to him.

Walking up to Jimmy and Timmy, Craig said, "Come on, guys, we gotta catch up with the others." Turning around, Craig and his gang members headed off in the direction of the rest of Kyle's forces.

For a few moments, Kyle remained by Nathan's side. Getting up, he walked over to Mimsy's corpse, and brushed his hair back, unveiling the metal band around his head. Carefully, he removed it from his head.

He stared at the band, studying it. _These bands were gonna spare us from that fate._

_What fate? _Kyle pondered.

He glanced upwards towards Craig, Jimmy and Timmy, then back down at the band. He thought hard for what seemed like an eternity. Eventually, he took off his hat and carefully placed the band over his head.

Then, putting his hat back on, he followed the others.

* * *

_Read and review._


	22. Dawn of War

_Playerhood18: Seems she is._

_South Down: Let's find out, shall we?_

_GBond007: Is she?_

* * *

When Kenny opened his eyes, he found that he was chained to a wall inside a dark room that he figured quickly was a dungeon. His whole body was sore, and he could barely move without feeling a stinging pain shoot through his bones.

Despite his numbness, he managed to crane his neck to his left. By his side, Annie was similarly chained, her head slumped over. Despite this, he could tell she was conscious.

"(Wow,)" He whispered in awe, turning to stare ahead of him. "(I can't believe every single one of them punched you in the vag.)"

All Annie could muster in response was a tiny, pained whine.

Kenny took the time to examine their surroundings. "(Alright,)" He said after a thorough check. "(If I had to take a guess, we're probably in the Grand Wizard's Castle. To be specific, the dungeons.)"

"Oh, goody," Annie wheezed sarcastically, turning to face Kenny, letting him see her black eye. "Any reason _why_ they'd want us imprisoned? It's not like we did anything to them."

"(I doubt we're the only ones they're doing this to,)" Kenny told her. "(Whatever the reason, I have a feeling we're about to find out soon.)"

Kenny's thoughts were confirmed as, mere moments later, the cell doors creaked open, allowing Kenny and Annie to see the silhouette of a squire at the door. "Ah, you're awake," He said with a smirk. "Good. Can't have soldiers sleeping on the job."

"Soldiers?" Annie groaned, staring at the squire with her one good eye. "What the Hell are you talking about? We're not soldiers."

"You're about to be," The squire informed them. "Grand Wizard Cartman is conscripting as many able-bodied players into his army for his upcoming war with Kyle, which is going down today."

"(Able-bodied?)" Kenny scoffed. "(I don't think he knows what that means, since he has his "soldiers" beaten up before they join.)"

"Well, that won't matter," The squire dismissed. "He just needs more bodies to throw than Kyle does."

"We didn't volunteer to be conscripts!" Annie protested, pulling against her chains. "You can't force us to join an army!"

"Honestly, your consent isn't needed," The squire retorted. "Either you can join now, or you can go throw some conditioning, which'll do nothing but waste all of our time, so you might as well join now."

Kenny and Annie glared at the squire. Eventually, however, both of them realized the futility off resistance, and they both sighed and hung their heads low, giving a slight nod.

"Good answer," The squire said, swinging the doors open fully. "Now let's get you to the healer! We need you all in good shape for the fight!" He gave a hand gesture, and several guards entered the dungeon, undoing Kenny and Annie's chains and leading them out the doors.

As they were led down the dank hallways, Annie turned to Kenny, her face grim. "I'm sorry, Ken," She whispered to him. "Looks like we won't get that key after all."

To her surprise, Kenny simply nodded to her. "(Don't worry, Annie,)" He whispered to her. "(I have a plan.)"

* * *

It hadn't taken long for Kyle and the others to catch up with the rest of their forces at the Elven Sanctuary. Once they had, they'd gone to work fortifying their position, more so than they'd done at Many Moon's Stronghold and the Ninjew Hideout. This wouldn't be like those other times. Unlike before, they had nowhere else to go after this.

This would be where the final battle would take place.

Several Castle Defenders had been set up around the sanctuary, giving them the high ground against Cartman's foot soldiers. Scouts had been placed around the surrounding forests, on the lookout for the slightest movement. Kyle's soldiers had been divided into several battalions, each led by a member of Stan and Kyle's inner circle as a field general of sorts, to direct them in battle. Kyle and his group had gone through great lengths to learn from their prior mistakes at Many Moon's Stronghold, to ensure that this stronghold wouldn't be so easily toppled.

And even still, Kyle and his group wondered if it would be enough.

"Kyle," Craig called out to him as he wandered down the fields. "Look, we've managed to catch someone I think we could use as a distraction for the Grand Wizard." He pointed up at a tower, causing Kyle to see none other than Liane Cartman, tied to a stake.

"I was thinking of using her as a bargaining chip," Craig explained. "When Cartman arrives, tell him that if he doesn't surrender, we'll burn her at the stake."

"Goodness, you kids have such an imagination," Liane Cartman said, oddly not bothered at being tied to a stake.

"Eh, I don't think that'll work," Kyle responded, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well it's not like we have a lot of options," Clyde, in his Dwarf King form, said as he strode up to him. "We still don't know what the Hell we're up against. How many players Cartman has on his side."

"I know," Kyle groaned, placing his hands on his hips and huffing. He'd come up with many strategies for how to fend off Cartman's soldiers, but he still hadn't thought up how he'd defeat the Grand Wizard himself. He'd thought of ganging up on Cartman with his allies, but that relied on Cartman not having just as many, if not more, followers on his side. Cartman would likely want to fight him personally, to make up for their last encounter, and Kyle wasn't sure if he could beat him this time.

A sudden loud chattering diverted Kyle's attention, and he turned to see Rogue Token, along with a band of their forces, shoving a small group of Cartman's squires and hunters down the field towards him. "One of the scouts found them wandering through the east side of the woods," Token informed him as he and his band shoved them to Kyle's feet.

Kyle stared down Cartman's small band of soldiers. "What are you doing here?" He asked forcefully as the rest of his army crowded around the band, glaring at them.

"We didn't come to fight," One of the squires reassured Kyle's army, raising his hands in surrender. "We defected from Cartman's army. We were looking to join you before he arrived."

There was truth to the boy's words. Kyle's features softened. The band looked utterly exhausted and worn out from their journey, and Kyle imagined successfully getting away from Cartman couldn't have been easy.

"What news do you bring?" Kyle asked. He hoped whatever information the band had would give him some little time to prepare for Cartman's arrival.

The squire, who Kyle recognized as Pete Melman, cleared his throat before answering. "Not good," He said sullenly. "Grand Wizard Cartman has announced he plans to march for battle in a few hours."

A surge of discomfort rippled through the crowd. Kyle himself felt his stomach tighten; he didn't have as much time as he thought. "How many soldiers does he have?" He asked quickly.

The squire's face scrunched up, as if he was wondering whether he should tell him. Finally, his face fell and he whispered, "We didn't get an exact count, but it'd have to be more than two hundred, mostly kids from our school."

Kyle winced. He hadn't done an exact count for his forces, but he knew it was less than Cartman's. Granted, the numbers gap wasn't as large as he'd feared, but it was still another disadvantage his side had.

"Over two hundred?" Paladin Butters whispered in awe, fear radiating off his body. "Oh hamburgers, that's way more than he had when we were playing the Stick of Truth. How can he get so many people on his side? I mean, we're the nice ones."

"It's not like they have a choice," One of the hunters said. "Few people want to side with him, but anyone who doesn't willingly join gets subjected to his torture, like his Super Fart."

Kyle cringed, knowing firsthand how horrific it was to be on the receiving end of one of Cartman's farts.

Stan, sensing Kyle's uneasiness, rushed to his side. "Kyle, don't get stressed," He reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We can still beat him, no matter how dire things may seem."

Kyle stared at the crowd, who looked back at him, eager for words of support from their leader. "I-I need to think," He said, turning around and heading back towards the castle. "All of you, get ready for battle." He shoved through the castle gates and stormed inside.

The rest of his inner circle followed after him. "Kyle, you can't get scared now," Stan told him. "We need you if we're going to stand a chance against Cartman."

"What can we do?" Kyle asked, turning to face the rest of the group. "We're outnumbered, and Cartman has all that magic bullshit on his side thanks to that Energy Staff."

"Cartman's not the only one with magic," Craig reminded him. "Your forms are some of the most badass in the game."

"But his totem-"

"Cartman _needs _that totem to stand a chance against you!" Stan interrupted. "Otherwise, you'd kick his ass and he knows it!"

Kyle looked away, still unsure, and Stan walked up to him. "Listen, Kyle," He said, placing his hands on his shoulders and looking him in the eyes. "Cartman might have that staff, but he's not invincible. You've always been the best at beating him. You've done it before, and you'll do it now, Energy Staff be damned!"

Stan's words reinvigorated Kyle. "Alright," He said, sucking in a deep breath. "I'll do it."

Kyle's inner circle erupted into cheers, but Jimmy raised his staff, silencing them. "Sorry to interrupt," He said. "But isn't there something else we should talk about?"

"What?" Wendy asked.

"The reason Cartman's this powerful at all," Jimmy said, and pulled out the metal band he'd taken from Nathan.

Kyls'e eyes landed on the band. In his hurry to prepare for battle against Cartman, he'd almost forgotten about the girl.

"Oh, yeah," He murmured, his face falling. "That."

"Kyle, what are you talking about?" Stan asked.

Kyle sighed. "Come on," He said, gesturing to the rest of the group. "There's something we need to discuss."

* * *

Kenny and Annie felt their stomachs dropped as they were led out of the castle and were given a full view of Cartman's forces.

They were innumerable, a seemingly endless mass of shiny helmets and sharp weapons. They were a diverse cast of players, but each of them had been forced to wear only a few different sets of armor, making them seem indistinct from one another, only adding to the effect; a homogeneity of soldiers, all of whom had entered the game either to find the key or just for fun, but now forced to fight and die for the sake of Cartman's grudge against Kyle.

One of the squires gave the two a shove, and they were led through the large crowd. The army split apart, allowing them to pass, and Kenny and Annie briefly wondered where they were being taken to. They soon got their answer.

At the end of the crowd was none other than Grand Wizard Cartman, standing atop a pedestal overlooking his army. Kenny and Annie froze when they saw him, and the squire behind them gave them one final shove, knocking them onto their hands and feet before the wizard.

"So, two final recruits before we march for war," Grand Wizard Cartman said as he stared down at the pair. "What have we got-"

He paused as Kenny raised his head to face him, and his jaw dropped. "K-Kenny?" He stuttered in disbelief. "How the Hell are you-"

"(Long story,)" Kenny interrupted, getting onto his hands and knees. "(So, uh, what are you doing?)"

"Oh," Cartman said, taking a moment to get over the initial surprise. "Well, me and my army are about to march to the Elven Sanctuary for our final battle against the sneaky snake Kyle and his cowardly forces. And you are to join me as my loyal soldiers."

"We'd rather die than join your army, you piece of shit!" Annie spat at the Grand Wizard. Kenny turned to her and shook his hands, gesturing for her to keep quiet.

"If you refuse, then perhaps you may need some persuasion," Cartman said, gesturing to a crusader by his side. The crusader raised a hand mirror, making sure Annie's face was reflected in it, then promptly shattered it with a single punch.

Annie gulped in fear, but Kenny held his head high. "(As charismatic as you are, I'm afraid that I'm simply not fit to be in your army,)" He said casually.

Cartman glared at him. "And why is that?" He asked, his staff glowing bright, sparks of energy flying off of it. The soldiers began to step back in fear.

Surprisingly, Kenny showed no fear. Instead, in spite of his chained hands, he pulled out his phone and and quickly changed costumes. Everyone recoiled as a flash of light enveloped Kenny.

When the light faded, the crowd looked back at where Kenny was standing, and promptly let out a collective gasp.

There, standing before the Grand Wizard, was Princess Kenny.

"Why, it's Princess Kenny," Scott Malkinson called out. "The fairest maiden in all of the kingdom."

"(Behold, your princess,)" Princess Kenny said, giving a feminine twirl with his dress. Around him, the crowd let out awed gasps.

Annie stared at Kenny, baffled. "What the Hell are you doing?" She asked. Kenny simply winked at her.

"(As much as I want to join your army, I'm afraid it's just not the place for a delicate princess like me,)" Princess Kenny said, raising the pitch of his voice. "(I would be absolutely devastated on the battlefield.)"

"Yeah, he's right," One of the hunters said. "The princess can't be in the army. Imagine what the enemy would do to her."

"She'd be slaughtered," A squire agreed.

Annie, upon realizing Kenny's plan, joined in. "Worse than that," She said, fanning the flames of the crowd. "Those beasts would probably ravish this fair maiden if they got their hands on her. They wouldn't be able to resist forcing themselves on the helpless princess, leaving her spoiled and impure."

An uproar rippled through the crowd. Even the Grand Wizard seemed to agree. "You're right," He said, stroking his chin. "We cannot allow the princess to fall into the clutches of Kyle's forces. She can stay back."

"(Oh, I'll come with you,)" Princess Kenny said. "(I'll be there to provide moral support for your army. But leave me on the outskirts of the battle.)"

"As you wish," Cartman said. "I'll even provide a small band to protect you."

"Can I be part of it?" Annie volunteered.

"Fine," Grand Wizard Cartman. "But enough of that! Now, it is time to march, and take revenge on Kyle for his transgressions against me! Onward, march!" He turned and raised his staff high, and set off, his army following close behind.

Kenny and Annie exchanged a relieved glance.

If Kenny's plan worked out accordingly, they might have a chance of getting the key after all.

* * *

After Kyle brought his group up into the tower of the castle, he'd come clean about everything. The mysterious masked girl, how she'd sent him to kill Cartman, and her involvement with Nathan and Mimsy. He also spoke of his suspicion that she may have been responsible for Cartman's resurrection.

"Kyle, why didn't you tell us sooner?" Stan asked, stunned at all that had happened during the time he and Kyle had been separated.

"I didn't think it was important," Kyle admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "Gah, I'm such an idiot! I thought if I killed Cartman, he wouldn't be a threat to the game, and yet here he is now, more dangerous than ever. And it's my fault."

"Come on, Kyle, you're being too hard on yourself," Dwarf King Clyde told him. "You couldn't have known that girl wanted you to kill Cartman just to bring him back to life."

"Wait, that doesn't make sense, though," Craig pointed out.

"Huh?" Clyde said.

"Cartman wasn't dead," Craig said. "When you die in the game, you just wake up back in the real world. Cartman didn't die, he just wasn't in the game anymore. How could she resurrect him?"

A cold silence washed over the group. Indeed, most of them had thought that if you were killed in the digital world, your consciousness would simply go back to your real body. But Cartman _had _been resurrected.

"How could she resurrect him. . ." Kyle whispered, his eyes going dark. ". . . Unless his consciousness never left the game."

A chill ran down everyone's spines. "Wait, you're saying that all this time, the people who died didn't return to the real world?" Red said. "Their consciousness remained in the game?"

"What sick person added _that _to the game's design?" Bebe asked, baffled.

That caused Kyle to snap to attention. "Wait a minute," He whispered, thinking back to Nathan's words before he was killed.

_She came to me and Mimsy while the game was still in production._

"Who exactly created this game?" Kyle asked the others.

That caused the others to think. They'd been so excited at the game's existence that they hadn't considered who'd been behind its conception. They all shook their heads, not knowing the answer.

"Nathan said the girl came to him while the game was still in production," Kyle pointed out. "And she apparently had the Dark Resurrection card to revive Cartman, a spell that isn't even out yet."

"You think that girl was the one who made the game?" Butters suggested. "And she entered it in order to influence the players?"

"Yeah, but why?" Stan asked. "Who is she?"

"Wait a minute!" Kyle piped up. "We found that game on an ad, and when I met the girl, she said we knew each other. Holy shit, do you think-"

"No, Kyle," Jimmy interrupted, almost seeming to know what he was about to say. "Admittedly, me and the girl were only in the same room for a few moments, but I'm sure I would have detected if she were an ad."

Kyle's face fell, a potential lead instantly snuffed out.

"When we confronted Nathan and Mimsy, they were wearing this," Craig said, placing Nathan's metal band on the table. "Said it would spare them from the fate of everyone else."

"What fate?" Red asked.

"I dunno," Craig replied. "He got fried before he could spill."

"Maybe she meant spared from Cartman's army," Butters suggested. "She wants Cartman to take over the game, but those metal bands would spare them from that."

"That's stupid," Bebe scoffed. "Why would she want Cartman to take over?"

"Well then why'd she bring him back and give him that totem?" Stan retorted. "She must've had a reason for it."

"Perhaps we should find her and get some answers from her, then!" Craig suggested. "What's say we have ourselves a little witch hunt?"

Before anyone could respond, a scout appeared at the door, a panicked expression on his face. "Kyle, the Grand Wizard is on the move!" He informed them. "He's marching for the sanctuary, and he's brought his entire army with him!"

Panic washed over the group. Kyle turned to face Craig, considering his suggestion. He knew they had to find that girl and get answers on her true intent, but the knowledge that Cartman was on the move seemed so much more urgent...

"We'll worry about the girl later," He said, standing up. "For now, we have to take down Cartman once and for all!" He pulled out his phone and switched costumes, transforming into Kyle of the Drow Elves.

The rest of the group nodded in agreement, and immediately headed out of the tower to prepare their forces.

The battle between Kyle and Cartman's armies was at hand.

* * *

_Read and review._


	23. The Battle of Phone Destroyer

_Playerhood18: We'll just have to find out._

_I am a burglar: I'd started writing the chapter before your review came in. It took a few days to finish, and in that time, I didn't update my review responses to include yours. Sorry._

_South Down: To be fair, it's hard to fight off over a dozen people at once, but yeah, she probably should._

_Warknight XL216: I was thinking of including Princess Kenny somewhere; only recently did I decide to use it for this part._

_GBond007: Didn't really think of that (not a watcher of SAO). It's more of a plot point, as will be shown later on._

* * *

A haunting presence loomed over the Elven Sanctuary like a wraith, casting a shadow of fear over everyone in the game. The skies were gray, and the winds howled ominously, silently warning all inside the game that war was upon them.

Kyle of the Drow Elves and his allies could feel its presence as they marched forth on the battlefield. Kyle, especially, could already see visions of what was to come: the ground stained with blood, mangled corpses scattered across the valley like insects, a stench of death and rot that could be sensed for miles...

And yet, he wasn't afraid. Rather, with his allies by his side, he felt a powerful determination, determination to put a stop to the Grand Wizard's rampage once and for all, to succeed where he had failed the last time.

With a raise of his staff, Kyle halted his forces on a field, where the scouts had informed him was where Cartman and his army was heading. It appeared the Grand Wizard hadn't shown up yet, which to Kyle was a relief. It would give him some time to prepare himself and his forces.

Turning around, he faced his army. He had brought a battalion led by Stan the Great and Shieldmaiden Wendy, made up of dozens of elf soldiers and other players. The rest of his inner circle were spread out across the sanctuary, protecting separate areas with their own battalions, to ensure no side was ambushed.

"Prepare yourselves, everyone!" The High Jew Elf King shouted to his battalion. "A powerful enemy marches towards this very sanctuary. He has endangered the lives of everyone in the game, and has forced countless people into being his slave army! But I'm not afraid, because with all of you by my side, I will fight to the last breath to ensure he doesn't destroy this game! All I ask is you do the same for me!"

Kyle's army let out a war cry, letting him know they would aid him in his quest to stop the Grand Wizard. Mere seconds later, however, Kyle saw their faces contort into fear and surprise. It wasn't until he heard an all-too-familiar laugh from behind him that he understood why.

Whirling around, Kyle felt his chest tighten as he found himself staring at none other than Grand Wizard Cartman. The overweight sorcerer was standing on the other side of the field, about a hundred feet away, and behind him was row upon row of ironclad soldiers.

"Oh, I never grow tired of your gay little speeches, Kyle," Cartman taunted as he stared down the Elf King, tightening his grip on his Energy Staff. "So inspiring, so profound. But actions speak louder than words, Kyle." As he finished his sentence, he slammed his staff onto the ground, sending a powerful shockwave that rippled across the field. It did no damage, but it warned the opposing army of the power they were up against.

"And actions say that you and your pathetic army is toast," Cartman sneered.

Kyle's army fidgeted slightly, a little intimidated by the display. Kyle, however, didn't falter, simply staring down the Grand Wizard. Stan and Wendy did the same.

"You may think that totem of yours makes you invincible," Kyle shouted out across the field. "But I killed you once before, and I'll do it again, even if I have to die, too!"

Cartman smirked. "It's your funeral, then," He sneered. Whipping his head around towards his army, he shouted, "Charge!"

Letting out a war cry, the Grand Wizard's forces swarmed past him and across the field towards the enemy. Kyle's army instinctively moved to meet them, but the Elf King raised his staff, halting them. They stopped in their tracks, confused.

Kyle stared down the charging army, not losing his determined expression. He waited until they were halfway across the field when he pulled out his phone and summoned his **Arrowstorm **spell. Instantly, a hail of arrows rained down upon Cartman's army, who quickly scattered in disruption as they were pelted by the sharp tips. Screams of pain echoed across the field as many were felled by the arrows.

With Cartman's army in disarray, Kyle shouted, "Now, Timmy!"

Kyle's army made way as Catapult Timmy rolled through them. In the bucket of the catapult were several rats, bound together in a ball. One of the elves ran up to Timmy and lit a torch, raising it over the rats and setting them aflame.

"Fire!" Kyle shouted.

"TIMMY!" Timmy shouted, launching the flaming rats across the air and towards the disoriented army. It struck one of the squires, burning his chest and sending him crashing onto the ground. Sparks of fire flew off him, scorching nearby soldiers.

"Again!" Kyle shouted. Another ball of rats were placed in the bucket, set aflame, and launched across the field. This one struck a native hunter in the face just as he was about to fire. The blow caused him to misfire, shooting a squire in the eye.

Catapult Timmy continued to fire flaming rats at the opposing army while the elves fired arrows at them. Behind his army, Cartman gestured towards something behind him. At that moment, several war machines, carrying crusaders, rolled up towards the hill and across the field. Kyle was about to order his forces to fire at them as well, but froze up when the war machines got closer into view.

Stan's eyes widened in horror. "Mom!" He shouted.

"Stanley!" Sharon shouted, strapped to the front of one of the war machines.

"Stan, you have to save us!" Randy shouted, he, too, bound against the front of one of the machines.

"Stop firing!" Stan shouted, causing the elves to cease their fire. "You'll hit my mom!"

Kyle growled as Cartman merely laughed at them from across the field. "Charge!" He shouted, aiming his staff at Cartman's army. Letting out a cry, Kyle's forces charged down the field to meet the enemy in close-quarter combat.

The two armies slammed into each other, followed by the sounds of swords clashing together and flesh being sliced into. Kyle's soldiers applied the training lessons they had learned from Stan and Red, skillfully dodging the flail attacks from Cartman's squires before swiftly counterattacking, cutting them down with single, well-placed sword strikes to the neck and head.

Stan the Great charged towards the war machines as they rolled across the field. With a swipe of his sword, he sliced off the wheel of one of the machines, causing it to come crashing to the ground. The crusader inside tumbled out, and was quickly dealt with as Stan plunged his sword through the visor of his helmet.

"Stan!" Sharon called out from the front of the war machine.

"I'm coming!" Stan shouted. He rushed towards the rolling machine, but was blocked by several of Cartman's soldiers. One of the squires swung his flail towards his head, nearly decapitating him. Stan dodged at the last second, before swiftly side-stepping behind him and slitting his throat with his sword. One of the hunters took aim and fired, but Stan used the dead squire as a human shield, blocking the arrow, before shoving the body at his assailants, sending them crashing to the ground in a heap.

Jumping over the bodies, Stan pounced onto the front of the war machine. With a swing of his sword, he hacked off the rope around Sharon's arm. Before he could finish, a purple chain was latched around his waist, yanking him off of her and onto the ground.

Struggling against the chains, Stan turned to see Henrietta, dragging him towards her, a scowl on her face. Panicking, Stan thrashed against the chains, but it was no use.

Just as he was within Henrietta's grip, the goth girl lurched forward violently, gasping out. Blood flew out of her mouth, splattering against Stan's face. Her grip on the chains loosened, allowing Stan to free himself. Scrambling to his feet, he looked to see Henrietta fall forward, revealing Wendy, her sword buried in the back of her neck.

"Wendy. . ." Stan whispered in awe.

"Don't mention it! Just move!" Wendy ordered.

Snapping back to attention, Stan grabbed his sword and rushed to free Sharon. The woman fell loose, collapsing onto the ground.

"Stan, could you hurry up?" Randy called from his own war machine. "These ropes are making my limbs sore."

Stan shot a glare at his dad, and promptly hurled his sword towards it. It sliced through the rope binding his arm and buried itself deep into the machine's armor, causing the machine to spiral out of control and crash onto the ground, breaking apart. Free, Randy tumbled to a stop on the hill.

"Thanks, Stan!" Randy called out.

Stan only grimaced, annoyed that he'd missed his target.

Kyle, meanwhile, was blasting charging soldiers with his staff, sending them flying backwards. "Hey, we're actually doing pretty good," One of his elves pointed out to him as he ducked under the swing of a squire.

"Yeah. . ." Kyle replied, but stopped. As he inspected the battlefield, he only now noticed that Cartman's army was suspiciously small. He hadn't expected Cartman to bring all of his troops to his area, but surely he'd have had more to spare. . .

At that moment, his skin paled. "I've been a fool," He whispered to himself.

"Huh?" Stan asked, fending off a squire.

"All of you, get back to the castle, now!" Kyle shouted. His soldiers seemed confused at first, but Kyle simply repeated the order, more forcefully this time, and they reluctantly conceded, heading back in the direction of the castle, with Cartman's soldiers in pursuit.

As both armies fled, Kyle turned towards Grand Wizard Cartman, the two locking eyes with each other.

It was just the two of them now.

* * *

The defenses at the castle were on high-alert. If Kyle's forces on the field failed to repel the enemy, they were prepared to continue the battle if Cartman's army arrived.

Paladin Butters stood next to Dragonslayer Red, clutching his hammer tightly in anticipation. Glancing upwards towards the sky, his eyes widened in shock and horror.

"Look!" He shouted, pointing upwards, causing all heads to snap to the sky.

Hovering over the castle were several UFOs, the ones that had formerly been controlled by Craig's Gang. As they loomed over the sanctuary, multiple soldiers were dispelled from their openings, landing on the ground and going on the offensive.

"Everyone, attack!" Blood Elf Bebe shouted, taking her bow and launching an arrow at the attackers. The others did the same, rushing to meet Cartman's ambush party before they overrun the castle.

Across the field, Castle Defenders fired arrows up at the enemy soldiers as they fell from the UFOs, shooting them down before they could even hit the ground. Several native hunters rushed to return the fire, shooting at the kids in the towers. To their shock, however, the arrows bounced harmlessly off the Castle Defenders.

"Huh?" One of the hunters said, confused. It was then that the enemy soldiers saw that Rune Totems had been placed around the Castle Defenders, forming a protective barrier around them and granting them immunity.

"Destroy those runes!" A Crusader bellowed. He and the squires charged to topple the runes.

"We have to stop them!" Red shouted. Letting out a cry, she and the rest of the battalion charged at the enemy soldiers to quell their attack. The large Crusader swung his shield at the smaller girl, nearly decapitating her. She ducked under the blow before twirling her battleaxe and, with an underhand strike, lodged it painfully in the crusader's groin area.

The crusader threw up blood as he doubled over, collapsing onto his knees. "Not. . . cool. . ." He croaked as Red ripped the axe out of him, seconds before she swiftly decapitated him with a powerful blow of her axe.

Paladin Butters backed away slowly towards the castle entrance as Dwarf Engineer Dougie and a small squad of squires approached him menacingly. "Outta the way, paladin," Dougie ordered him.

"Gee, I'd be inclined to do so, but I should tell ya, you don't wanna enter those gates," Butters warned the squad.

"Yeah, and who's gonna stop us?" One of the squires asked. "You?" Reaching over, he grabbed Butters' hair and tossed him to the side. Dougie then strode forward and opened the castle gates.

"Now let's storm the cast-" He froze in horror, as did the rest of the squad.

Glaring down at them was Sharpshooter Shelly. "I thought I said I didn't want any turds in my castle!" She shouted, gripping her twin guns angrily. The squad gulped nervously.

Butters watched the ensuing carnage take place, simply shaking his head. "I tried to tell them," He whispered.

* * *

In the wooded areas around the sanctuary, Craig's Gang battled Cartman's forces with their battalion, doing their best to keep them from reaching the castle.

"Make way for the King of Dwarves!" Dwarf King Clyde bellowed as he charged through the trees, cleaving through enemy soldiers with his axe.

Nearby, Rogue Token skillfully dodged the swings of enemy squires. As one charged, he side-stepped out of the way and delivered two successive stabs in the squire's neck and chest with his daggers. As the squire collapsed, dead, Token sprang up into the air and flung the knives, plunging them into the heads of a pair of native hunters, killing them both.

Dark Mage Craig was repelling a crusader with a magic blast when he noticed a group of enemy soldiers charging towards him. Quickly, he rushed in the opposite direction, luring the group into his trap.

"Clyde!" He shouted. "Air support!"

Quickly, Clyde whipped out his phone and transformed into Mosquito. Soaring past the soldiers, he grabbed Craig's hands and lifted him into the air. The enemy soldiers continued pursuing them, but stopped when they started to feel nauseous.

"W-What's happening?" One of the squires asked as he began to feel lightheaded. It was then that the soldiers noticed, too late, that they had stepped in a Toxic Pylon planted in the woods by Kyle's forces. They collapsed onto the ground, succumbing to the poison.

As Clyde lowered Craig to the ground, they two barely avoided being struck by a lightning bolt. The force of the blow sent them flying through the air, crashing into a tree. Landing on the ground, Craig raised his head to see Michael and Pete in a tree, charging their spells. Michael launched a fireball, scorching several members of their battalion.

"Garrison!" Clyde shouted. "We could use some help here!"

A distance away, Witch Garrison stood before his cauldron, readying his spells. "Just wait a moment," He told them casually.

"You've been at that cauldron for ten minutes!" Craig shouted as he dodged an energy blast. "Are gonna help or what?!"

"Don't get your panties in a twist!" Garrison snapped. "Here; I'm done." Pulling out an alcohol bottle, he hurled it at the two Goth kids. The bottle struck the branch they were standing on, expelling a toxic gas that engulfed the two.

"Ah!" Pete shouted, coughing violently as the fumes surrounded his head. "Stupid conformists!"

Token took advantage of their distraction, flinging his knives at the tree. The first one struck Pete square in the forehead, sending him flying off the branch, while the second caught Michael in the shoulder. With a gasp, he fell off the branch and onto the ground.

Clyde, back in his Dwarf form, approached the fallen Goth, dragging his ax behind him. "Now, it's time for you to kiss my ax, emo boy," He declared, raising his battleaxe over Michael's head.

". . . Really?" Michael groaned, letting out a deep sigh seconds before his skull was split open.

As Clyde removed the ax from Michael's head, he noticed a figure, hiding in the shadows. "Who's there?" He asked, jumping backwards and readying his ax for a fight. The rest of the gang rushed to his side to back him up.

Slowly, the figure stepped out of the shadows, revealing himself. Instantly, relief washed over the group, especially Craig.

"Tweek!" Craig shouted in joy. "You're back!"

Robin Tweek stared silently back at the gang, his face blank. The gang, sans Craig, began to feel a chill start to run up their spines when they noticed the lifeless expression in Tweek's eyes.

"Uh, Tweek?" Token asked, on edge.

Oblivious to Tweek's expression, Craig rushed forward to greet him. "I can't believe you're here!" He was saying as he approached him. "I thought you were captured! How did you get free-"

As Craig got within arms length of him, Tweek suddenly pulled out an arrow and swung at him. Craig pulled back in alarm, clutching his bleeding cheek where Tweek had cut him.

"Tweek?" He exclaimed as Token and Clyde rushed to catch him. It was only then that he noticed the icy cold, murderous expression in Tweek's eyes. Those weren't the eyes of his boyfriend.

Without any hesitation, Tweek took out his bow and arrow, aimed at the gang, and fired.

* * *

In another section of the woods, on the outskirts of the battle, Princess Kenny sat in a chariot, flanked by half a dozen guards, including Annie. Eventually, he raised an arm and said, "(Stop here.)"

The chariot came to a stop. "Is this where you wish to view the battle, your majesty?" One of the squires asked.

"(Yeah, view,)" Princess Kenny mumbled. "(You've done your part. I'm safe here; go join your fellow soldiers in battle.)"

"But the Grand Wizard ordered us to protect you," The squire reminded him.

"(Do not fret,)" Princess Kenny reassured him. "(I have all the protection I need, right here.)" He pointed at Annie, who blushed.

The squire still didn't seem convinced. "But-"

Suddenly, Princess Kenny leaned forward, cupped the squire's face, and planted a kiss on his forehead. Nearby, Annie felt her heart stop.

The squire pulled out of the kiss, dazed. Quickly, he murmured, "Your wish is my command. Come on, men, let's go!" With that, the band departed to join the battle, leaving Princess Kenny and Annie alone in the chariot.

The pair waited until the band was out of site, then Kenny spit and began to rub the taste out of his mouth. "(The things I do for my sister,)" He muttered. Hopping out of the chariot, he transformed into Hermes Kenny.

"(Alright, I'm going to sneak past the sanctuary and get to the Underworld,)" He told Annie. "(You coming?)"

"I'll cover your escape," Annie reassured him, pulling out a sword she'd taken during her time in Cartman's army. "I'll make sure nobody follows you."

(Alright,)" Kenny said, nodding. He was about to run off, but paused. "(Oh, and one more thing.)"

"What?" Annie asked.

Kenny answered her question with a hug. "(Thank you,)" He whispered into her ear. Annie stood, frozen for a few moments, before smiling and returning the hug.

Breaking out of the embrace, he turned and rushed down the hill, Annie following close behind.

As they ran, neither of them noticed the motorcycle girl, watching them from atop a hill. A smirk appeared on her lips as she watched them go.

_No, _she thought. _Thank you._

* * *

_Read and review._


	24. The Elf King vs the Grand Wizard

_South Down: That all you have to say?_

_Playerhood18: You'll find out._

_GBond007: They made a great team once._

_I am a burglar: Timmy says his name. That's kinda his thing._

* * *

Kyle of the Drow Elves and Grand Wizard Cartman stared off at each other on the empty fields.

Kyle let out a deep breath as he steeled himself against the Grand Wizard, readying himself for battle. His fingers tightened themselves around his staff - it may not have been Cartman's Energy Staff, but it was still capable of wielding powerful magic.

On the other side of the field, Cartman stared Kyle down. His cocky smirk was gone, replaced instead by a determined glower. Despite his earlier show of bravado, it was clear from Cartman's expression that he hadn't forgotten how he had lost his life to Kyle before. That earlier loss hung over his head, reminding him that, despite his totem, there was still a chance that he could lose.

"I'm surprised, Cartman," Kyle called out to him. "You had your army follow mines away from here. Would've thought you'd have wanted some by your side to fight me."

"You couldn't be more wrong, Kyle," Cartman replied coolly. "You see, unlike _you_, I prefer fair, even duels."

Kyle scoffed. "Is that so?" He asked.

"I ordered my soldiers not to attack you," Cartman said. "You would be left to me. You and I have a score to settle."

"Well you'll be pleased," Kyle retorted, fury emanating from his body. "No tricks, Cartman. I'll take you right here, now now. I don't _need _help to handle you."

Cartman grinned. "We'll see about that," He growled.

With a roar, Cartman aimed his Energy Staff at Kyle and fired a blast of electric energy. Kyle let out a gasp of surprise and quickly flew upwards out of the line of fire. The energy blast quickly decimated the ground where Kyle had been standing, leaving a trail of smoking black debris.

Levitating in the air, Kyle stared down at the destruction caused by Cartman's staff. A look of fury crossed over his face, and the Elf King soared towards Cartman, firing a blast from his own staff. With a growl, Cartman quickly fired a laser at Kyle's blast, causing an explosion of blinding energy that forced Cartman to shield his eyes.

As the light dissipated, Cartman turned back in time to see Kyle, inches away from him. Wielding his staff like a sword, he brought it down upon Cartman, who blocked it with his own staff. Spinning around, Cartman struck Kyle across the face with the tip of his staff, sending him flying backwards. He landed on the ground roughly, his staff dropping a few feet away from him.

Groaning, Kyle slowly got to his feet, just in time to see Cartman fire another blast at him. Quick as lightning, Kyle rolled to the side, avoiding the blast, and snatched up his staff. Gritting his teeth, Kyle summoned a **Fireball**, unleashing a volley of flames upon the Grand Wizard.

"You think I'm going to fall for that trick again?!" Cartman roared, summoning a **Freeze Ray. **The ray instantly dissipated the fire with ease before expanding across the field, striking Kyle before he could react. The Elf King barely had time to scream as his entire body was frozen in a block of ice.

Through his frozen eyes, Kyle saw Cartman activate his **Hyperdrive **spell. His entire body sparked with electricity as he blasted towards him at super-speed, slamming into him so hard that the ice around him shattered. Kyle let out a shout as he was went flying across the field, hitting the ground roughly several times before coming to a stop.

For several moments, Kyle lay there, face-down on the ground, breathing heavily. A wraith of doubt hung over him, whispering in his ear that he was outmatched, that he couldn't win.

But Kyle refused to yield. Curling his hands into a fist, he slowly got to his feet, staring down the Grand Wizard, who stood a good distance away, eager to continue the battle.

Kyle couldn't lose. The fate of everyone in the game, in South Park, was at stake. He couldn't let them down.

He had to win.

* * *

"Tweek, please!" Craig shouted as he dodged an arrow fired at him by the mind-controlled Robin Tweek.

He and the rest of his gang were doing their best to avoid the relentless assault from their friend, but Tweek was like another person entirely. There was seemingly no trace of the anxious and hyperactive boy Craig knew and loved. He was like a robot, a soulless machine bent on killing everyone in sight.

"What's wrong with him?" Token asked, hiding behind a bush.

"I dunno," Clyde replied. "Cartman must've fucked with his mind, or something."

"What the Hell can we do?" Craig asked. "We can't fight him, he's our friend!" As soon as the words left his mouth, another arrow was launched at him, nearly skewering his head.

"We can't just let him kill us, either!" Clyde retorted. Jumping over the bush, he let out a battle cry and rushed towards Tweek, raising his ax high. The blond casually side-stepped out of the way, dodging the swing of the ax, before firing an arrow into Clyde's rear end. The brunet let out a high-pitched shriek, dropping his ax and clutching his ass as he hopped around in pain.

Token froze as Tweek turned his arrow on him. "Tweek, dude, don't do this," He said. "I don't know what Cartman did to you, but you have to snap out of it."

Tweek seemed to hesitate for a few seconds, then launched the arrow, forcing Token to duck under it.

Craig rushed over to Witch Garrison. "Garrison, what do I do?" He asked, panicked. "He's my boyfriend; I can't fight him!"

"I've definitely been in this situation before," Garrison grumbled, watching as Tweek fired at Craig's battalion. "You should kick the shit out of him."

"But he's my boyfriend!" Craig protested.

"Which is why you need to kick the shit out of him," Garrison retorted. "Look, if you're in a relationship, you're gonna have to show your lover who wears the pants sometimes."

"That's not how relationships work!" Craig shouted angrily. "I'm not beating up my boyfriend!"

"Suit yourself," Garrison replied, shrugging. With that, he whistled and called out, "Go get 'em!"

Quickly, three Underpants Gnomes rushed out of the woods and towards Tweek as he continued attacking the battalion. "Die!" They shouted as they crawled up Tweek's legs and around his body.

Instantly, Tweek dropped his bow and arrow and let out a scream. "Get off of me!" He shouted in a panic, rushing around and waving his arms in the air. It appeared that even in his mind-controlled state, his fear of Underpants Gnomes hadn't been lost.

The gnomes forced Tweek onto the ground. "Gimme your underpants right now, or you're fucking dead!" One of the gnomes shouted as they pawed at Tweek's pants.

"No!" Tweek shouted. "Stop!"

"Wait, stop," Craig said as he approached them. He swiped at the gnomes, throwing them off of the struggling Tweek.

"Craig, what are you doing?" Token asked from behind a tree.

"Hold on," Craig told him. Gently but firmly, he grabbed Tweek's shoulder and held him down.

"All enemies of Grand Wizard Cartman must die!" Tweek shouted, struggling in Craig's grip.

"Tweek, look at me," Craig said, forcing the blond to look him in the eyes. Once he did, Tweek's struggling began to cease.

There were tears in Craig's eyes as he stared at his conflicted boyfriend. "It's me, Craig," He whispered, his voice trembling. "I'm your boyfriend, remember. We hang out all the time. Don't you remember?"

"N-No," Tweek said through gritted teeth, shutting his eyes. "I must. . . serve. . . Cartman. . ."

"You're stronger than Cartman, Tweek," Craig told him. "You have to fight it, Tweek. Fight it!"

Tweek gnashed his teeth together so hard they threatened to shatter, his face turning beet red. His shoulders bunched up and tears began to stream out of his closed eyes. "Craig!" He shouted, before his entire body deflated. His head lay against the ground, and when he opened his eyes, they were back to normal.

Slowly, Token and Clyde left their hiding spots and approached the two. "Is he. . . okay?" Token asked, hesitantly.

"Is _he _okay?" Clyde exclaimed. "He's not the one with an arrow sticking out of his ass!" He pointed as his rear end, which still had the arrow lodged in it.

"Craig. . ." Tweek whispered softly, slowly sitting up.

"Tweek?" Craig said, standing up. He stared down at his boyfriend, unsure if Tweek was back to normal.

Tweek locked eyes with Craig, then suddenly sprang towards him. Token drew his dagger, but stopped when he saw Tweek was hugging Craig close to him.

"Oh God, Craig, it was so horrible. . ." Tweek sobbed into Craig's shoulder. The dark-haired boy simply patted his shoulder to comfort him.

"It's okay, Tweek," He consoled. "I'm here."

The two boys released each other. Finally, a look of determination washed over Tweek's face.

"Come on, Craig," He whispered, grabbing his bow and arrow. "We have a battle to win."

* * *

Even on the outskirts of the Elven Sanctuary, Kenny and Annie could hear and feel the battle raging not too far away. The sounds of energy blasts, deathly screams, and utter chaos raged across the battlefield, letting the duo know what they were missing out on.

"What the heck is everyone doing?" Annie asked as she dodged past a tree, trying to keep up with Kenny. "Didn't everyone enter the game to find the key? Why are they wasting their time on this huge battle?"

"(Beats me, but it's good news for us,)" Kenny replied, jumping over a bush. "(Hopefully, they'll be too distracted fighting to notice us slip past.)"

As they continued running, they were stopped by a Fireball being launched at them. They just barely avoided the blast, but were knocked into a tree.

"Grand Wizard soldiers!" A voice called out. "Get 'em!"

Through unfocused eyes, Kenny and Annie could see three figures rushing towards them. Unwilling to let them harm Kenny, Annie grabbed her sword and got to her feet, prepared to fight them off if it would give him a chance to escape.

The lead figure approached quickly, but stopped in her tracks when she recognized the blonde girl. "Annie?" She exclaimed, surprised.

Annie's vision cleared, allowing her to see the person in front of her. "Heidi?" She said, lowering her sword. Calamity Heidi stood in front of her, along with a pair of elf soldiers.

"What are you doing out here?" Heidi asked, looking Annie up and down. "And why are dressed like one of Cartman's soldiers?"

"It's a long story," Annie told her. "We're not here to fight you. We're just trying to get-"

Before she could finish, a bullet zipped through the air and struck Heidi in the side of the head. The brunette's eyes widened in shock as she soundlessly dropped onto the ground. Annie immediately let out a terrified scream as she watched her friend collapse dead right in front of her. The elves let out surprised cries and turned towards the source of the bullet, but they, too, were quickly gunned down.

Getting up, Kenny readied himself for a fight, along with Annie. "(Who's there?)" Kenny called out.

Slowly, the gunman stepped out of the shadows. Instantly, Kenny and Annie let out a gasp and took a step backwards.

"(You,)" Kenny whispered.

"Come on," The masked girl told them, her voice filled with urgency. "There isn't a lot of time." She pulled out her motorcycle and rolled it towards them.

Annie knelt down against Heidi's corpse, placing a hand on her forehead. "You killed her," She whispered, looking up to glare hatefully at the girl.

"I'm sorry," The girl apologized. "I thought you were in danger. But never mind that; we have to get you past the castle." She hopped onto the motorcycle and patted the seat, silently instructing Kenny and Annie to get on with her. The two glared at the girl suspiciously, but nevertheless got on, struggling to make room. Once they were seated behind her, the girl revved up the engines and took off.

"(What were you doing this whole time?") Kenny asked as they rode through the forest. "(Have you been stalking us?)"

"Oh, please," The girl said. "You didn't need my help all the time. You've done pretty good for yourselves getting this far. I just thought I'd give you a little push towards the finish line."

As they rode up a hill, Kenny and Annie could get a glimpse of the castle about a mile or so away. They could just barely make out numerous people fighting to the death on the fields in front of it, including a few people they knew, such as Red, Bebe, and Butters.

"Wow," Annie whispered, awed at the sight.

"(Look out!)" Kenny shouted as a stray Arrowstorm was flung in their direction. The girl clenched her fists around the handles of the motorcycle as she swerved to avoid the shower of arrows raining down upon them. A few arrows became lodged in the motorcycle's metal, but it was nothing too damaging.

"Brace yourselves!" The girl warned the duo as she zoomed towards a small hill. Annie screamed and buried her face in Kenny's back as they zoomed off the edge, flying through the air and landing roughly on the ground. The motorcycle bounced, and Annie shrieked as she was flung off the bike and landed roughly on the ground behind them.

"(Annie!)" Kenny cried, whipping his head back towards her. "(Stop the bike!)"

"There's no time!" The girl cried. "We have to get to the Underworld!"

"(Make time!)" Kenny shouted, reaching forward and grabbing the handles, causing the motorcycle to spin around, nearly throwing both Kenny and the girl off. It landed on its side, and Kenny immediately sprang off and rushed towards the injured Annie.

"(Come on, get up!)" Kenny shouted as she grabbed Annie, heaving as he pulled her to her feet. As he picked her up, they noticed several elves, charging towards them.

A distance away, the girl clenched her fists together in frustration. Whipping out her phone, she summoned a Freeze Ray, launching it at the elves. Instantly, they were encased in ice.

"Come on!" The girl shouted, joining Kenny in helping Annie to her feet. The two carried Annie towards the bike and set her down on it. Quickly, the girl hopped on, started the motorcycle, and continued riding, Kenny sitting behind her and Annie.

It didn't take long until they were behind the castle. There, the lush, green fields ended and were instead replaced with miles of dead, rocky fields. Pulling out the map, Kenny glanced down at it, trying to see where they were.

"(Stop!)" He shouted. "(We're here.)"

The motorcycle came to a stop near a large hole in the ground. Quickly, the three jumped off the motorcycle and approached the hole, gazing down into it. There were rows of rocky steps in front of them, leading them down to a dark abyss.

"This must be the Underworld," Annie whispered.

Behind them, the girl glanced downwards. Suddenly, she was tackled by Kenny, who pinned her to the ground roughly. "Kenny!"

"(Who are you?!)" Kenny asked, pressing down against her neck. "(Why are you helping us?)"

"I can explain!" The girl shouted, terror in her voice.

"(You better have a good explanation, then!)" Kenny warned, looking her in the eyes.

The girl let out a deep sigh. "It's because. . . I felt sorry for you."

"(Huh?)" Kenny said, confused. Slowly, he released the girl and got off of her. The girl rubbed her sore neck before getting to her feet, facing him.

"You may not know me, but I've seen how you live," The girl said sympathetically. "I've seen the way your parents take you and your siblings for granted. And how you can barely afford things that, for other kids, just come easily to them. But most importantly, I've seen how you care about your sister."

Kenny felt his heart tighten at the mention of Karen.

"I have a little sister, too," The girl whispered, rubbing her arm. "And I know I'd do anything for her. And to see you go through so much, just for the chance of giving your little sister a better life. . . I knew if anyone deserved to get that key, it would be you."

Kenny's face softened. He hung his head slightly.

"I don't need the key," The girl reassured him. "I can do just fine without it. But you deserve a chance for a better life. You and Karen. So go ahead, take it."

Slowly, Kenny raised his head and nodded to the girl. "Come on, Kenny," Annie urged him, at the edge of the Underworld's entrance. "Let's go."

Kenny took one last glance towards the girl, who gestured for him to follow Annie.

Then, without one word, he turned around and rushed after Annie, vanishing into the Underworld.

* * *

Stan, Wendy, and Craig's battalions had rejoined the battle at the castle. The reinforcements had allowed the castle defenders to better hold off the enemy, but even then, it was taking all of their battle prowess and determination to keep from being overrun.

Stan grunted as he cut down a squire with his sword. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced his leg, and Stan let out a cry and dropped onto the ground. Turning around, he saw Firkle, standing over him with a knife.

As the goth kindergartner prepared to land the finishing blow, he was struck from behind by Canadian Knight Ike. The Canadian kindergartner aimed his lance at the goth before letting out a cry and jabbing at him. Firkle stepped back in alarm, doing his best to block the attacks with his knife.

Stan clutched his bleeding leg, groaning in pain. He looked around the battlefield, watching as more and more people fell dead from the fighting. He caught sight of Blood Elf Bebe, continuing to fire at the attacking soldiers. Behind her, a Native Hunter fired an arrow into the back of her knee. Bebe cried out in pain, whirling around and shooting the hunter dead, only for another to fire an arrow into her back. The blonde collapsed onto her knees, but fought the pain, continuing to fire arrows at the enemy.

Finally, a Native Hunter approached and fired an arrow through her skull, just as Bebe launched her own arrow into his chest. The blonde collapsed face-down onto the ground, dead.

Breathing heavily, Stan forced himself to his feet. As he did, a shadow loomed over him. Whirling around, he found himself staring up at a massive Crusader. The older boy glowered down at him, clutching his sword tightly in his fist. Trembling, Stan raised his sword to challenge him.

Suddenly, an explosion of energy in the dark skies drew everyone's attention. All eyes whipped into the air as they caught sight of Kyle of the Drow Elves and Grand Wizard Cartman, battling in the skies.

"Holy shit, is that Kyle?" Red exclaimed, awed at the sight.

Kyle let out a furious cry as he fired an energy beam at Cartman, who barely blocked it with a blast of his staff. "You can't win, Cartman!" The redhead shouted, striking the Grand Wizard in the face with a clenched fist, sending him spinning through the air.

"On the contrary, Kyle!" Cartman spat, ramming into Kyle in retaliation, launching him backwards. "I already have!"

Kyle slammed against the windowsill of a hovering UFO. Glancing down at the Visitors piloting the spacecraft, Kyle glared.

"Not while I draw breath, you haven't!" He shouted. Springing off the UFO, Kyle concentrated his magic and used it to engulf the spacecraft. With a pained shout, he hurled the UFO towards the Grand Wizard.

Cartman's eyes widened as the spacecraft soared towards him at top speed. "Nooo-" He shouted before the UFO slammed into him like a car hitting a fly before spiraling into the fields below.

Kyle grinned as he watched the UFO crash into the ground. However, his eyes widened as a large blast of energy suddenly split the spacecraft in half. Grand Wizard Cartman stood on the fields, a protective barrier around him. With a shout, he launched one half of the UFO towards Kyle.

Quickly, Kyle flew to the side, avoiding the UFO, and zoomed towards Cartman. The Grand Wizard growled in anger and slammed his staff into the ground. Instantly, large spikes erupted from the ground, nearly skewering Kyle as he flew towards him. Kyle zipped past the spikes, blasting them to pieces with his magic staff, before concentrating his energy into a potent magical blast that he launched at Cartman. Shouting, Cartman did the same, firing an energy blast at Kyle.

On the fields in front of the castle, all the soldiers recoiled as a explosion of energy erupted from where Kyle and Cartman's magic blasts had collided. A few kids were even thrown through the air by the force of the explosion.

Once the explosion died down, Kyle's friends rushed towards the scene of the destruction. "Kyle!" Stan shouted as he saw his friend, lying face-down on the ground, his body charred from the explosion.

"Come on, Kyle, get up," Stan said, pulling the redhead to his feet. The others were about to help, but stopped when they heard coughing a distance away.

Limping across the field, using his staff as a cane, was Grand Wizard Cartman. The overweight boy was covered in his own burn marks, but he nevertheless had a triumphant look on his face.

"Well then," He said, grinning in spite of the pain. "Looks like I've won."

The small group quickly shielded Kyle. "Not one step closer," Wendy warned, aiming her sword at him.

"Please," Cartman replied, twirling his staff in his hands. "Kyle was the only threat to me. The rest of you are already dead." He pointed the tip of the staff at the group.

"Now, how would you like a taste of my Unholy Combustion?" The Grand Wizard mused, charging up his attack. The group stood firm in the face of Cartman's magic.

With a shout, Cartman fired his attack at the group. Instantly, an explosion of energy enveloped them.

Cartman grinned victoriously, but his smirk vanished when the magic faded and he saw the group standing there, unharmed by the attack. Slowly, the group opened their eyes when they saw that they were being surrounded by a protective barrier.

"What the. . ." Stan whispered, before his eyes widened and he whipped around towards Kyle.

The redhead was on his feet once more, except he was now in his Human Kite form. His face was filled with exhaustion, but a steely resolve as well.

"Way to go, Kyle!" Butters shouted.

Inhaling, the Human Kite brought down the barrier. He floated into the air, silently glaring at Cartman, who stared at him, his eyes widened in shock and fear. Then, he flew towards him.

Shaking off his surprise, the Grand Wizard fired energy blasts at Kyle, but the redhead dodged them. He continued soaring towards him, his arms outstretched, and suddenly zipped past Cartman, causing him to stumble backwards. As Cartman whirled around to continue firing, he froze when he realized that he was no longer holding the Energy Staff.

Cartman felt his skin pale when he saw the Human Kite, holding the Energy Staff in his hands. "It's over, Cartman," He whispered.

"No. . ." Cartman whispered, his fingers twitching. "No!" He charged at Kyle, his arms stretched towards him, but Kyle simply tipped the end of the staff towards Cartman and fired. The blast struck Cartman in the chest, and instantly, he vanished. His Grand Wizard costume dropped soundlessly to the ground.

The rest of the group rushed towards Kyle. "What spell did you use?" Stan asked.

"**Transmogrify**," Kyle replied casually.

A squeaking sound was heard from Cartman's clothes, followed by a small movement underneath it. Eventually, the tiny head of a mouse peaked out from the collar of the Grand Wizard's costume.

"E-Eric?" Butters whispered, looking down at the mouse that was once the mighty Grand Wizard.

The tiny mouse let out a squeak and attempted to scamper away, but Kyle quickly snatched it up. "Fight's over, Cartman," He told the mouse, giving him a small squeeze.

* * *

As soon as Cartman's forces heard that the Grand Wizard had been defeated, they quickly gave up the battle. With Cartman neutralized, there was no more reason for them to continue fighting; it wasn't as if they were particularly loyal to him, anyways.

"What are we gonna do with him?" Red asked as Kyle's inner circle crowded around Cartman. The former Grand Wizard had been placed inside a small bottle and set on a table outside the castle.

"I have an idea. . ." Craig suggested, gesturing to Mr. Slave Executioner, who stood a distance away, leaning on a battleaxe.

Stan noticed Craig had his arm around Tweek. "Oh hey, Tweek, you're back," He said. In the chaos, he'd only now noticed that Tweek was back with them.

"Yeah," Tweek replied. "I was placed under a mind-control spell, forced to serve Cartman. But when Craig here came to me, I was able to snap out of it. Took a lot of effort, though."

"Hmm. . ." Kyle replied.

At that moment, Craig said, "So, we beat Cartman, right?"

"Yeah," The rest of the group replied in unison.

"That means there's only one thing left to do," Craig whispered, seconds before abruptly knocking Stan over and taking off towards the back of the castle. The rest of his gang followed suite.

"Hey!" Stan shouted, scrambling to his feet.

"We call dibs on the key!" Craig shouted as he and his gang took off in the direction of the Underworld.

"Oh no you don't!" Stan retorted. He and the rest of Kyle's inner circle immediately rushed after Craig and his gang, desperate to beat them to the Underworld.

Kyle watched them go, a blank look on his face. Weirdly enough, he felt he was no longer interested in getting the key. As he scanned the battlefield, he saw the piles of dead bodies littered across the ground, and felt a sense of discomfort that all these people had entered the game hoping to either have a fun time or grant their heart's desire.

And this is what had become of them.

At that moment, Kyle heard a small clapping sound from behind him. "Well done, Kyle," A familiar voice whispered.

Kyle felt his blood boil as he whipped around to the source of the voice. Striding across the blood-soaked fields towards him, clapping sardonically, was the masked girl.

_"You. . ." _Kyle growled, his eyes turning a blood red as a murderous rage overtook him.

"Thank you, Kyle," The girl said in a grateful tone, placing a hand on her heart and giving Kyle a mocking curtsy. "You have done _everything _I hoped you would."

* * *

_Read and review._


	25. The Underworld

_Playerhood18: Alright, then._

_GBond007: We'll find out this chapter. _

_South Down: Old habits die hard, I guess._

_I am a burglar: Yeah, Craig is gay. Kinda common knowledge._

* * *

As Kyle laid eyes upon the masked girl, he felt as if a match had been lit in the pit of his stomach.

Everything that had happened in the game - the countless deaths, the rampant destruction, the war between him and Cartman - was all _her _fault. She'd been responsible for it all, and though he couldn't see her face, he could tell she was _proud _of it.

All at once, all of his pent-up anger unleashed itself at that moment.

"This is all your fault!" He roared, so loud that it caused everyone in the area to whip their heads towards him in alarm. The girl barely even responded, simply standing there with her arms folded across her chest.

Without even thinking, Kyle quickly summoned a **Fireball **and launched it in the girl's direction, ready to incinerate her on the spot. The girl was too fast, though, and quickly dodged out of the way of the attack. Springing onto her motorcycle, she activated her **Hyperdrive **and sped across the fields, past the castle, and towards the Underworld.

"No you don't!" Kyle snarled, transforming into his Human Kite form. Taking to the skies, he blasted after her, sending dozens of players flying through the air from the shockwave of his sudden flight.

Kyle soared over the girl, who continued to speed beneath him. Unexpectedly, she pulled out a pistol and fired several shots into the air at him. Quick as lightning, he dodged the bullets, and zoomed downwards so he was right next to the girl, flying side-by-side with her as she rode.

"This has worked out so well!" The girl taunted as she rode across the rocky landscape, clearly enjoying herself. "That's why I pit you against Cartman! I knew the two of you couldn't resist dragging everyone else into your petty feud!"

Kyle's eyes turned crimson, and with a single blast from his laser eyes, he obliterated the girl's motorcycle. The girl soared through the air, landing gracefully on the ground, and turned to face Kyle.

"Why?" Kyle asked, trying to rein in his anger. "Why did you do it?"

The girl turned her head to the side for a moment. Then, she summoned a **Freeze Ray **and fired it at Kyle, nearly engulfing him in ice. Kyle blasted up into the air, avoiding the ray, and soared downwards, raining laser blasts down upon the girl. She stumbled to avoid the blasts, leaving her open for Kyle to get close to her.

Clenching his hand into a fist, he slammed it into the girl's stomach. The masked girl doubled over, letting out a pained gasp, and Kyle grabbed her head and kneed her in her face, cracking her helmet's visor.

The girl stumbled backwards, dazed from the blow. As she breathed heavily, trying to recover, Kyle charged his laser eyes. The girl rose her head to face him just as he fired, hitting her directly in the face. The force of the blow shattered her helmet completely and knocked her onto her back. She lay there, still as a corpse.

Kyle breathed heavily, exhausted from the fight. For a few moments, he stared down at the girl, wondering who she was. She had long black hair that covered her face, concealing her identity.

Slowly, Kyle approached the unconscious girl. Crouching down, he reached over to brush her hair past her face, letting him see who she really was.

_Click._

Before Kyle could react, he found the barrel of the girl's gun aimed directly at his face. At that moment, the girl's eyes shot open, and she sprang to her feet, causing Kyle to instinctively stumble backwards, stunned.

For a few moments, the girl kept the gun on Kyle. He expected her to fire, but instead, she calmly brushed her hair back, letting him see her face.

Once she did, Kyle's pupils shrank and his skin paled. A breathless gasp escaped his lips.

_"You. . ." _He whispered in disbelief. "But. . . it can't be. . . you're. . ."

"But it is," The girl replied, smirking. "Kyle Broflovski, meet the _real _Leslie Meyers."

* * *

The Underworld thundered as dozens of players rushed through the dark caverns, all of them desperately hoping to snatch the key for themselves after all their troubles.

"Craig, you assholes stop right now!" Stan was shouting as he shoved his way past several other kids to catch up with them. "I've fought too hard not to get that prize!"

"We've fought harder!" Craig retorted, firing a laser blast at the kids behind him to slow them down.

By now, the kids had reached a large catacomb. Stan finally caught up with the gang, tackling Craig to the ground. The two scuffled violently, rolling over each other as they struggled to get past. The other kids did the same, trying to prevent anyone else from getting to the other side of the catacomb before them. A few kids summoned spells to try and attack their adversaries, causing the Underworld to quake violently.

The fighting was abruptly cut off when a loud, high-pitched screeching noise filled the catacombs. Instantly, the players snapped up, a chill running up their spines.

". . . W-What was that?" Clyde asked, in a more high-pitched voice than he'd hoped.

The sound returned, only it was closer now. It sounded distinctively like that of a squealing pig, but also that of a growling bear.

"You know, we probably shouldn't have been so loud in a place called the _Underworld_," Stan commented as he tried to keep from pissing his pants.

One of the entrances was smashed through, sending rocks and dust flying through the air. When the dust settled, the kids looked back at the entrance, and their skin paled as they saw none other than Manbearpig standing at the destroyed entrance.

"Well, we're fucked," Red said bluntly.

Manbearpig let out a massive roar, and the players immediately screamed and began scattering around the catacombs in a panic. The demon pounced across the catacombs, crushing an elf under his weight. He scanned the fleeing children, swiping at them with his knife-like claws. One squire couldn't get out of the way in time, and his head was ripped clean off his shoulders.

"What the fuck is Manbearpig doing here?!" Clyde screamed as he hid behind a giant rock.

"He can't have been looking for the key, too," Wendy suggested as she ducked under a bloody arm flung in her direction. "Otherwise, he'd have gotten it already! He must have been programmed in to protect it!"

"Well he's doing a pretty good job at that!" Clyde squeaked, instantly before a large object was thrown into his hands. He looked down at it and saw that he was holding the decapitated head of an elf, and he instantly screamed and threw it away.

As Wendy crawled across the blood-stained ground, she caught sight of Stan, sneaking through one of the exits. "Stan!" She called out, directing his attention towards her.

They locked eyes for a moment, and then Stan turned and rushed through the cavern, not looking back once.

* * *

Kyle felt like the wind had been knocked out of his lungs as he locked eyes with his one-time crush.

It couldn't be her, was what he was thinking. He had seen her die right in front of him - the image of PC Principal punching a hole through her face, the blue liquid spilling out of her head. And yet here she was, as alive as he was.

"It. . . it can't be you," He stammered, raising a shaking finger and pointing at her smiling face. "You're dead! This is a trick!"

"It's not a trick, Kyle," Leslie replied coolly, lowering her gun. "It's me, Leslie. The _real _Leslie."

Kyle racked his brain, still trying to make sense of what was right in front of him. "You. . . you went to my school," He recalled. "We became friends, but. . . you were an ad! A sentient ad in human form! You tried to take over South Park, the whole world!"

Leslie's grin grew, clearly enjoying Kyle's confusion. "You're so smart, Kyle," She said, folding her arms behind her back. "So here's a question for you: how can an ad gain sentience all on its own?"

Kyle stood, befuddled by the question. Eventually, he said, "It can't."

"Right," Leslie replied. "Not on its own, that is."

Kyle felt a shiver run up his spine at the implication of Leslie's words.

Leslie took his silence as a go-ahead to continue. "Ever since I was a kindergartner, I've been a technological wiz, always looking to create things. Games, robotics, even A.I. in human form. You met my little science project, Leslie the ad, right?"

Kyle grimaced. It suddenly made sense. How else could Leslie the ad enroll at his school and pass herself off as a student if she didn't actually exist?

"Well, "Leslie" had gone off on her own, trying to form her own plans; it appeared she'd gained my above-average intellect as well as my appearance," Leslie continued, and she frowned briefly. "She failed, of course, but her brief existence did serve as a lesson for me to better control my toys."

Kyle's eyes darkened. "How do I know you're telling the truth?" He asked, assuming a battle stance.

Leslie simply shrugged, and reached down to pick up a sharp rock. Pulling off her glove, she scraped the pointy edge of the rock across the palm of her hand. Instantly, a red liquid oozed out of the cut, slowly dripping onto the ground, rather than the blue liquid that had been secreted from Leslie the ad when she was killed. Kyle felt his stomach churn at the sight, and he said, "Okay, your point is made."

Putting her glove back on, Leslie said, "Back to the story. After my science project's deactivation, this town got my attention. I came here, observed you and your friends for some time. I saw the interesting games you'd imagined up, but the one that got my attention the most was _Phone Destroyer_."

Kyle narrowed his eyes. Almost immediately, he knew what had happened next.

"You pitched _our _game to a game company," He accused angrily. "Incorporated all of our ideas into it, while also tweaking it to give yourself access to spells and abilities that hadn't been released yet! Then, you advertised it to get as many people into the game as possible."

Leslie grinned. "Clever boy," She complimented. "It's honestly why I prefer that you're wearing the band instead of Nathan and Mimsy."

Kyle's skin paled as he flung his hands towards his head, where the band was. "When you came to Nathan and Mimsy," He said, furrowing his eyebrows. "What did you ask of them?"

"It was pretty simple, really," Leslie said, her eyes darkening. "I asked them to get your friend _Kenny _into the game." Her grin grew when she saw how Kyle's face contorted into shock at the revelation.

"That's right, Kyle," Leslie sneered. "Your friend, the one you _abandoned _to avoid the hassle of getting him extra headphones to join you, has been in this game the entire time. And not only that, but he's closer to getting the key now than any of you. Thanks in no small part to you, of course."

Kyle's hands clenched into fists. So that was why Leslie had orchestrated the war between him and Cartman. It had all been a diversion to distract all the other players, allowing Kenny to slip past and get the key while the other players were too busy fighting each other to notice. Overwhelming shame washed over him as he realized he'd played right into Leslie's hands without even knowing; he'd been so focused on stopping Cartman that he'd unintentionally aided the _real _danger.

But one thing didn't add up.

"Why do you want Kenny to get the key?" He asked. "Why not take it for yourself and make your wish?"

Leslie chuckled grimly. "You're so naive, Kyle," She mocked. "You didn't think that key was actually going to grant the winner their wish, did you?"

A sinking feeling entered Kyle's stomach. Suddenly, Nathan's words echoed in his head.

_These bands were gonna spare us from that fate._

Suddenly, Leslie was standing inches away from Kyle. She placed two fingers under his chin and leaned in close to whisper into his ear.

"When Kenny gets the key, he won't be granting his wish," She said. "He'll be granting _mine_."

Kyle didn't waste a second. Shoving Leslie to the side, he quickly flew into the Underworld's entrance. He didn't know what Leslie was planning, but he knew for certain that he had to save Kenny before it was too late.

* * *

"Are we almost there?" Annie asked impatiently as she and Kenny navigated their way through the dark caverns using the map.

"(We should be,)" Kenny reassured her. "(Just a few more steps. It's just that I feel we should be careful. In a place called the Underworld, who knows what's lurking in these caverns?)"

"Good point," Annie replied.

"(So long as we make sure to be as quiet as possible, we should be fine,)" Kenny said, tip-toeing through the cave.

No sooner had he spoke that an ear-piercing shriek filled the caverns, accompanied by monstrous growling and the sounds of flesh being shredded.

". . . Well, I guess we're not the only ones to have entered the Underworld," Annie said.

The silhouette of several small figures rushing towards them caught their eyes, and Kenny and Annie recoiled as they saw a Rat Swarm, charging rabidly towards them.

"(Run!)" Kenny shouted, and he and Annie took off down the catacombs as fast as they could; there was no use trying to be discreet now that the new arrivals had blown their cover and stirred all the Underworld's defenses.

The Rat Swarm pursued them through the caverns hungrily, nipping at their feet as they ran. Annie pulled out her sword and swung it at them, trying to get them away. She wasn't so distracted that she didn't notice she and Kenny were reading for a small slope, and she stumbled into him as he stopped, sending both of them tumbling down the rocky hill.

"Look out!" Annie cried as she saw the two were plummeting towards a pit of lava. She screamed as she soared off the edge, but Kenny grabbed her hand before she fell and pulled her back up.

The two accessed the situation in the short time they had. There were a few pillars before them, forming a small path over the lava pit to the other side. But the tops were rather small, and each one required a jump that they could easily fail at. As they looked behind them to see the rats pursuing them, they realized they didn't have much time to reconsider.

"(Jump!)" Kenny shouted, taking Annie's hand and springing over the small gap onto the first pillar just before the rats reached them. The swarm was running too fast to stop, and they plunged down into the lava pits, their dying screeches echoing through the dark chambers.

Kenny and Annie jumped across each pillar, letting out relieved breaths with each successive jump. As they made it to the second-to-last pillar, the pillar below them started to crumble under their weight. "(Shit!)" Kenny shouted, and he scooped Annie into her arms and jumped onto the last pillar quickly. As the other pillar collided with it, Kenny sprang over the gap and onto the other side. Mere seconds later, the pillars collapsed onto the fiery pits.

For a few moments, Kenny and Annie lay on the ledge, waiting to catch their breaths before moving on. Then, they picked themselves up and rushed through down the final catacomb.

As they exited the cavern, the two found themselves in a large, dark room. The only light source was a bright machine at the end of the room, and in front of it was a tiny pillar, with a shining bright object laying on top of it.

The key.

The golden object shined before Kenny and Annie's eyes. The former almost couldn't believe it; after his long journey, he'd actually done it. He'd gotten to the key.

_I did it._

Kenny was snapped out of his thoughts by Annie squeezing his hand. "Go ahead," She whispered to him.

Slowly, Kenny stepped towards the pillar. Unconsciously, he reached out and picked up the key, feeling a shiver as he felt the cold, hard metal graze his fingertips. He looked back to Annie, an unsure expression on his face. She simply nodded, urging him to go on.

Kenny looked at the bright machine. There was a keyhole on its surface, telling him that was where he needed to put the key in order to make his wish.

Taking a deep breath, Kenny closed his eyes and moved to place the key into the lock.

_BOOM!_

Kenny whirled around in alarm as another entrance to the room was blown open, revealing none other than Stan the Great. He was covered in cuts and bruises and looked utterly worn out, but his eyes glistened when he saw the key in Kenny's hands. Quickly, he surged forward.

"No!" Annie shouted, pulling out her sword and rushing to intercept him. The two clashed blades, but Annie's grip was nowhere near as strong as Stan's, and her sword flew out of her grasp. Stan quickly elbowed her to the ground and rushed forward towards Kenny. By the time Kenny had recovered from his shock, Stan had grabbed hold of the key.

Quickly, the two boys struggled, trying to pry the key out of the other's grip. Using their free hands, they swatted at each other's faces, struggling to get the other to let go. Abruptly, however, Stan stopped when he saw Kenny's face and saw who he was looking at.

"Kenny!" He blurted out in shock, unconsciously letting go. Kenny stumbled backwards, landing on his rump, nevertheless holding the key.

Stan stood there, a stunned look on his face. "W-What are you doing here?!" He exclaimed. "How did you get here? I thought you couldn't pay to get the headphones!"

Kenny narrowed his eyes at Stan. "(I found a way,)" He snarled angrily, getting to his feet. "(I entered this game, I played it just like you and everyone else did, and I got this key first, and I did it all without you!)"

Stan gulped before responding. "I-I'm sorry we couldn't bring you along with us," He said, rubbing the back of his head. "It's just-"

"(Just what?") Kenny interrupted. "(That you didn't have enough money to spare? Well welcome to my world pal, 'cause that's every day of my fucking life!)"

Stan stepped backwards, shocked at Kenny's fury. Behind him, several other kids entered the room from the entrance Stan had made, all of them covered in bloody gashes.

"Man, that Manbearpig is fast," Token said, stopping to catch his breath.

"Hey, we're here!" Craig exclaimed, looking around. "Finally, we can get the-" However, he and the others stopped when they saw Kenny standing in front of the machine, holding the key.

"(Every fucking day, I have to scrape by to earn a fraction of what you receive for free!)" Kenny ranted, unleashing all of his pent-up anger. "(I have to wear the same clothes five times a week because I can't afford more! My house goes without electricity at least once every damn month! There are times where I haven't even showered in a whole week because my parents didn't pay the water bills! I hate it!)"

"Holy shit," Clyde whispered, staring in shock along with the others.

"(Well I'm not going through it anymore!)" Kenny declared. "(I have a wish, and it's not to be fucking poor anymore! I want to live in a home just as nice as any of you do, to have an equal shot with the rest of you. And I'm not letting any of you get in my way!)"

He glared at Stan and the others, his fists tightening around the key so hard he threatened to snap it in two. They stared back, letting his words sink in.

Finally, Stan whispered, "Kenny. . . we won't get in your way."

Kenny's anger melted almost instantly. "(What?)"

"You deserve your wish," Stan said, hanging his head. "You're right about all of this, and I'm sorry for not recognizing it sooner. Go ahead, make your wish. We won't stop you."

Kenny lowered the key, staring into Stan's eyes before turning to look at the rest of the players. When he saw the genuine remorse in their eyes, a smile appeared on his lips.

"(Thank you,)" He whispered, and he turned around and stepped towards the machine. He stared down at the keyhole, curling his hands around the key as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Then, he lowered the key down into the hole.

Suddenly, the entrance to the cavern was blasted apart, and the Human Kite soared into the room. There was a wild look in his eyes as he saw Kenny begin to place the key into the lock.

"Kenny!" He shouted, rushing towards him as fast as he could. "Kenny, _no_!"

But he was too late.

* * *

_Read and review._


	26. Game Over

_Playerhood18: That was a little confusing to read._

_South Down: Sigh..._

_Warknight XL216: You did?_

_GBond007: Thanks._

_I am a burglar: Manbearpig is a demon who's a cross of a man, a bear, and a pig._

* * *

When Kenny awoke in his bed, he knew immediately that something was different.

For one, the bed covers felt larger, warmer, and didn't stink. As he pushed the covers off of his head and sat up, he took the time to survey his room. Instantly, he snapped up in confusion.

This wasn't his room.

The walls and ceilings didn't have cracks in them. The wall painting wasn't half-finished. The curtains weren't ripped. And the room wasn't as empty as before; it was filled with furniture, stacked in a neat and tidy row.

"(What the fuck?)" Kenny asked, jumping out of bed. He rushed to one of the new drawers and pulled out one of the chests, revealing neatly-stacked piles of t-shirts and other pieces of clothing he knew he didn't have. He pulled out the other chests, revealing more fancy clothing he didn't own.

Closing the chests, he next ran towards the closet. Opening it, he found several jackets, similar to the ones worn by the other kids at school, rather than just rows of the same old parka he usually wore.

"(What's going on here?)" He pondered to himself. Out of curiosity, he rushed towards the windows, pushing aside the curtains to look outside. To his surprise, he wasn't in the SoDoSoPa; rather, he was near Kyle's neighborhood. At that moment, a thought entered his head.

Where was his family?

"(Karen?!)" He shouted, swinging the door open and rushing out into the hallway. A dozen horrifying thoughts raced through his head. Had he been kidnapped? Had his family been taken as well? What was being done to them?

His thought process came to an abrupt end, however, as he raced down the stairs, only to find his family sitting at the kitchen table, having breakfast peacefully. At least, they _looked _like his family, but at the same time, there was something. . . different about them. Their pajamas weren't torn, and the familiar scent of alcohol that normally hung over his parents was strangely absent. In fact, the air in the house was a lot cleaner than usual, cleaner than it had ever been.

"(. . . Guys?)" Kenny said, confused.

Carol turned her head in Kenny's direction. "Oh, hey Kenneth," She said sweetly. "We were just having breakfast. Why don't you join us?"

Kenny stood at the bottom of the stairs for a few moments, a little hesitant, before finally stepping forward and taking his seat at the table. Quickly, he saw that his family was eating pancakes, with his plate already prepared for him.

As he slowly started eating, Kenny noticed Kevin move from the table and stride over to the fridge. As he opened it, Kenny's eyes widened as he saw the fridge was stacked with food and snacks. "(Holy shit!)" He exclaimed, stunned.

"Kenny, what's wrong?" Stuart asked in an unusually concerned tone.

"(Didn't you see the fridge?)" Kenny asked. "(It was packed!)"

The rest of Kenny's family stared at him, a confused expression on their faces.

"(Aren't you surprised?)" Kenny asked. "(We're in a new house, the place doesn't stink, I have more clothes than usual-)"

"Kenny, why are you so surprised?" Karen cut him off. "After all, you made this happen."

Kenny turned to stare at her, baffled. "(What?)" He asked.

"Don't you remember?" Karen asked. "You played the new _Phone Destroyer _game and won. You got the key and made your wish so that we wouldn't be poor anymore. And it worked."

(. . . It did?)" Kenny asked. He'd admittedly kind of doubted it at first, thinking it was too good to be true. But what if it had been true?

"Yeah," Stuart replied. "I stopped drinking, got myself a high-paying job and moved out of that shitty SoDoSoPa. And I never would've done it if it hadn't been for you."

"(For me?)" Kenny asked, a little taken aback.

"Yes," Stuart said, getting out of his seat and approaching Kenny. "Kenneth, I've had time to think, and I just want to say I'm sorry for what I've put you through. You've given me and your mother a second chance, and I'm gonna make sure I don't mess this one up." Kneeling down, he took Kenny into his arms. Kenny, awkwardly, returned the embrace.

The rest of Kenny's family joined the embrace. "Thank you, Kenny," Karen whispered as she buried her face in his chest. "You've saved us."

Slowly, Kenny smiled. It was true.

He _had _saved them.

"(I finally got my wish,)" He whispered.

* * *

"Kenny?!" Kyle exclaimed as he stood in front of his parka-wearing friend inside the dark cavern. Kenny simply stood there, frozen in place, not responding to him. His eyes were blank and spaced out, unfocused on Kyle.

"Kenny, talk to me!" Kyle shouted in horror, grabbing Kenny's shoulders. When Kenny still didn't respond, Kyle took Kenny's hoodie and yanked it down, uncovering his face. He stepped back in horror when he saw a delirious grin on Kenny's face.

On the brink of panicking, Kyle turned to the other people in the cave. "Guys, come on!" He said to them. "We have to help-"

He quickly stopped. Everyone else in the cave had an eerie, blank expression on their face. They stood there, still as robots, their eyes unfocused and their pupils shrunken.

"Guys?" Kyle asked. He got no response from any of them.

Quickly, Kyle's eyes snapped towards the machine, with the key placed inside it. Immediately, he lunged towards it and grabbed it, trying to pull it out of the lock. Whatever had happened to his friends, the key must've been the cause. Yet, no matter how hard he pulled, the key didn't budge.

"Come on. . ." Kyle groaned as he pulled with all of his strength, to no avail.

As Kyle struggled to pull the key out of the machine, Stan and Craig stepped forward, their motions robotic. Reaching forward, they both grabbed onto Kyle, roughly yanking him away from the machine.

"Let go of me!" Kyle protested, struggling in their grip, but they held on tight. They seemed ten times stronger than normal. Unaffected by Kyle's struggles, the two dragged Kyle out of the cavern. The other kids, including Kenny, followed suite.

"Guys, snap out of it!" Kyle shouted, but they didn't respond. They continued to drag him through the dark caverns, slowly joined by more and more players, all of them wearing the same, blank look on their faces.

After what seemed like an eternity, they finally reached the exit of the Underworld. As they stepped outside, Stan and Craig tossed Kyle to the ground roughly.

As Kyle struggled to his knees, he felt his heart drop. Standing in front of him was an endless mass of Indians, sci-fi kids, Visitors, elves, squires. . . it was like every player in the game was here. To his shock, even the dead players were on their feet, looking good as new. Bebe, who Kyle had last seen an arrow-ridden corpse, was standing at the front of the crowd, all her injuries gone.

To Kyle's dread, however, all of them wore the same, blank look.

"Ike!" Kyle exclaimed as he saw his brother in the massive crowd. He was about to rush towards him, but thought better of it.

Collapsing onto his knees, Kyle buried his face into his hands and said, "What's happened to all of you?"

"My wish."

Kyle immediately snapped to attention. The crowd parted, and none other than Leslie Meyers, the _real _Leslie Meyers, strode through them and towards Kyle. The redhead fixated his eyes on her, his blood boiling with hate.

"You. . ." Kyle snarled furiously. "W-What did you do?!" He got to his feet and was about to charge at her, but two elves restrained him.

Leslie chuckled. With a crook of her finger, she summoned Ike towards her. Kyle felt his heart rate accelerate, but Leslie simply stroked his head gently.

"Don't worry," Leslie told Kyle, her voice soothing. "They're not hurt. But they are under my total control now."

"The key. . ." Kyle whispered. "What did it do to everyone?"

"Oh, it just activated a mass Mind Control spell that swept over the game like a tidal wave," Leslie replied casually, picking up Ike and holding him in her arms. "Everyone is now under my thrall, subject to my whims." As she did, she tapped her head, smirking.

Kyle looked to the ground, clenching his fists. "Everyone except me," He whispered, remembering the metal band that was placed around his head. "That's what these bands were for. They were going to shield its wearer from the Mind Control effect."

"Very clever," Leslie replied, seeming impressed.

Slowly, Kenny walked out of the Underworld and passed Kyle, joining Leslie's side. "Kenny," Kyle whispered, filled with concern. "What have you done to him?"

"I've given him what he's always wanted," Leslie said, caressing Kenny's face. "He's locked in a dream world, specifically one where his wishes have come true. He thinks he's gotten his wish, but in reality, he, too, is under my control. More than that, he's the epicenter of the Mind Control wave, the chain linking everyone's minds together."

"So that's what would've become of the winner," Kyle whispered. Fury erupted in him, and he growled, "How can you do this to people? How can you treat them like mere toys?"

"Hey, I've given your friend here exactly what he's always wanted," Leslie snapped, wrapping a hand around Kenny's shoulder and pulling him close. "And I can do the same for you."

"What are you talking about?" Kyle asked.

"Once we re-enter the real world, everyone who played the game will be under my control," Leslie explained to him. "I gave Nathan and Mimsy the bands to gain their compliance, but I truly didn't think they were worthy to be exempt of my control. That is why I was happy when you got the band instead."

Kyle stayed silent, letting Leslie continue.

"You're a smart boy, Kyle," Leslie explained. "I'd hate to waste that intelligence by forcing my Mind Control onto you. Join me as my willing subordinate, and you can consider everyone here your own. Everyone will do as you say; why, even Cartman would have no choice but to worship the ground you walk upon. You can have everything you ever wanted."

Kyle stared at Leslie for a few moments, considering her words. But as he laid his eyes upon his mind-controlled brother, he knew he could only give one answer.

"Never," He spat. "I'm not like you, Leslie. The last thing I want is a bunch of mindless sycophants, stripped of their identities and agency. People are more than just toys; they deserve to have free will."

Leslie frowned, disappointed. "Pity you think that way, Kyle," She said with a sigh. "Perhaps when you've been resurrected, you'll be a little more open-minded."

Turning towards Kyle's former inner circle of friends, she casually said, "Eliminate him."

Immediately, Kyle's inner circle drew their weapons and approached Kyle menacingly. "No!" Kyle shouted, turning and rushing back into the Underworld. The rest of his inner circle pursued him.

Leslie heaved deeply and turned to everyone else. "Alright, everybody, take out your phones," She commanded, pulling out hers. "You'll find a button at the bottom titled **Exit Game**. It'll bring you back to reality."

As everyone followed Leslie's instructions, the raven-haired girl sneered, "Game Over, everyone. See you in the real world."

And with that, she pressed the button and vanished into blue pixels.

* * *

"Guys, stop!" Kyle pleaded as he dodged a swing from Dragonslayer Red's battleaxe. He'd been pursued to a section of the Underworld, and had been cornered by Stan, Butters, Ike, Craig's gang, and the Girls, including Annie.

"This isn't you!" Kyle said as he dodged a jab from Stan's sword. Reluctantly, he fired a medium-sized blast from his laser eyes, knocking Stan and a few of the others backwards.

"Must serve Leslie," Paladin Butters said in a robotic voice as he approached Kyle, his hammer clutched tight in his hands.

"Butters, please," Kyle said, only to duck as Butters swung his hammer at him, narrowly avoiding taking his head off. "I don't wanna fight you."

"Neither do we," Stan whispered, his voice monotone as he picked up his sword and walked forward. "Just surrender and give yourself up to Leslie. Don't make us hurt you!"

"See, Stan!" Kyle exclaimed. "You don't want to do this! Come on, there has to be a way to snap you out of it!"

Just then, his mind snapped to attention as an idea formed in his head. He didn't know if it would work, but he didn't have much options.

Avoiding a magic blast from Dark Mage Craig, Kyle pulled out his phone. Quickly, he switched through his spells until he came upon the one Leslie had given to him as payment for killing Cartman. **Purify.**

Kyle looked up, watching as his friends slowly approached him. Taking a deep breath, he whispered, "For your sake, I hope this works." Closing his eyes, he activated the spell.

Kyle's friends charged towards him, but stopped in their tracks as they were hit by a colorful wave. Instantly, they dropped their weapons, shaking their heads and blinking rapidly, groaning.

"Guys?" Kyle asked as his friends stood in front of him, reeling from the spell's effects. "Are you. . . alright?"

Slowly, Stan turned around to face his friend. His eyes had returned to normal, and he had a confused look on his face. "Kyle," He whispered. "W-What's going on? Where are we?"

Relief washed over Kyle as he saw the spell had successfully removed the Mind Control effect on his friends. "Oh thank God!" He shouted, enveloping Stan and Ike in a hug. "I thought I lost you guys!"

Stan awkwardly returned the hug. "Kyle, what's going on?" He asked.

"There's no time to explain," Kyle said, breaking out of the hug. "Everyone in the town is in danger. Look, exit the game. Once you're back in the real world, meet me at my house. I'll explain everything there, but we don't have much time!" Holding his phone, Kyle pressed the **Exit Game **button. Immediately, he vanished into pixels.

The other kids exchanged confused glances with each other. Nevertheless, they did the same.

* * *

_Read and review._


	27. Into the Real World

_Playerhood18: I guess._

_GBond007: Probably._

_South Down: We'll have to find out._

_I am a burglar: Indeed._

_Guest tea: Thanks._

* * *

When Kyle's eyes opened, he was back in bed in his house, in the real world. He let out a deep breath, as if he had been submerged underwater, and quickly ripped the headphones off of his head and tossed them away, pulling the plug out of his phone.

Turning around, he saw Stan and Ike, still lying on the bed, wearing the headphones. "Guys, wake up!" He shouted, shaking them violently. Abruptly, Stan sprang upwards, followed by Ike.

"Oh, thank God!" Kyle exclaimed, taking off their headphones. "You're back!"

"Kyle, what is going on?" Stan asked, rubbing his head.

"It's Leslie Meyers!" Kyle replied suddenly. "She's behind all of this!"

"The ad?" Stan replied, perturbed. "Didn't PC Principal kill her? I thought-"

"No, the _real _Leslie!" Kyle corrected. "Look, it's a long story, but everyone that entered the game has been mind-controlled by her, except us and the others I freed with the Purify spell."

"Uh, guys?" Ike said, hanging from the windowsill and staring outside. Kyle and Stan exchanged worried glances before joining him in looking outside.

Their hearts dropped at what they saw. Out in the streets, dozens of people were walking in a zombie-like fashion, a blank expression on their faces. Their pupils were shrunk and their mouths were hanging open. It didn't take long for the boys to realize that these were all people who had entered the game.

"Oh, shit!" Stan said, and quickly grabbed his iPhone, dialing in a number. "Mom? Mom, are you there?" He waited for a response, but got none.

The door to Kyle's room opened, and the boys turned around to see Kyle's parents at the door, a confused expression on their faces. "Kyle, what is going on?" Sheila asked. "Half the people outside are acting like zombies."

"We'll explain later," Kyle said. "But you can't leave this house. Barricade the entrances and don't answer the door."

Kyle's parents looked confused, but they nevertheless left to do just that.

Kyle sighed and turned to Stan and Ike. "Leslie knows I wasn't affected by the Mind Control," He told them. "She'll probably be looking for me."

At that moment, Kyle received a call on his phone. He slowly checked to see who it was from, and saw it was coming from Token. Hesitantly, he answered the call. "Yes, Token?" He asked.

"Kyle, it's so weird," Token replied. "Me and the rest of the gang are at my house. My parents are wandering around like zombies. They keep mumbling the name 'Leslie' over and over. I'm trying to talk to them, but they won't listen."

"I-I'm scared," Another voice said, which the boys recognized as Clyde's. "What do we do?"

"Come to my house," Kyle instructed them. "Avoid attracting any attention, got it?"

"Uh, okay," Token replied, before the call ended.

Kyle set his phone down, sighing heavily. Stan walked up to him. "Seriously, Kyle, what is going on?" He asked.

"I'll explain when the others arrive," Kyle replied, an exhausted look on his face. "But to keep things brief, everyone in the town is in danger. And we're gonna need all the help we can get."

* * *

Ever since Kenny had entered the game, Karen had scarcely left his side. She'd stayed next to his body, only leaving for brief moments to get food or water before returning, watching over him closely, waiting for him to awaken. She still wasn't sure what was going on, or why he'd entered the game, but she was certain that whatever his reasons were, he had the best of intentions.

When Kenny's eyes finally opened, Karen nearly jumped for joy. "Kenny!" She exclaimed as her older brother got out of bed. "I was so worried! You were in there for so long!"

She enveloped her brother in a hug, pressing her face against his chest. "What was it like in there?" She asked, not letting him go. "Kenny?"

Karen felt a sense of unease quickly, however, when she noticed that Kenny wasn't returning the hug. She stepped backwards to stare at his face, and was confused when she saw that he was staring off into space, not looking at her.

"Kenny?" She asked. "What's going on? Kenny?" She hopped into the air, waving at his face, but he didn't respond to her.

Karen stepped backwards, confused and a little scared. She was about to call for their parents when she heard the sound of police sirens downstairs.

"Police, open up!" A voice called out from downstairs.

Karen felt her heart drop. _Not the police again, _she thought.

"Ah shit, not again!" She heard Stuart exclaim in an annoyed tone. Karen quickly exited the room and rushed towards the staircase, peaking down to see what was going on in the living room.

From upstairs, she could see her parents opening the doors. "Hey, you got no business showing up at our house!" Stuart was saying. "I already told you last month, we're not dealing any drugs here!"

"We're not here to search for drugs," The police officer replied. He and his comrade parted, and a girl appeared, entering the house.

Karen snapped to attention, fixating her eyes on the girl. She appeared to be around Kenny's age, with long black hair and striking eyes. Despite her young age, she carried an odd sense of authority as she entered the house.

"Who are you?" Carol asked, eyeing the young girl suspiciously.

"Sorry, Mr. and Mrs. McCormick, but I have personal business here," Leslie Meyers said as she strode past the two. She glanced upwards, and Karen's heart stopped as the girl spotted her.

Leslie stared at her for a few moments, then called out, "Kenny McCormick! Come here!"

Karen whipped her head towards Kenny's room, and saw her brother exit it. He passed by her and headed down the stairs towards Leslie, who extended a hand towards him.

Leslie turned towards Stuart and Carol. "Your son here will be accompanying me for the time being," She said. "The rest of you are being placed under house arrest until further notice. Kenny, come." She turned and headed out the door, Kenny following her.

"What the Hell?" Stuart asked, stepping forward. "You can't just barge in here and take our son! That's-" Before he could continue, one of the police officers stepped forward and struck Stuart across the face with a baton, sending him crashing to the floor.

"Daddy!" Karen shrieked in horror, rushing down the stairs towards her injured father.

"Don't make this difficult," Leslie warned. "This is for your own good." She exited the house, along with Kenny.

As Carol tended to Stuart, Karen rushed outside, and froze when she saw numerous police officers outside. She couldn't help but notice that they all had a blank, emotionless expression on their faces.

"Make sure these people stay inside," Leslie ordered the chief officer. Striding over to a police car, she opened the door and hopped inside, and motioned for Kenny to follow.

"Kenny, please!" Karen called out, even as she was kept from rushing forward by the cops. "Don't leave me, Kenny!"

Kenny turned around and locked eyes with Karen. For a brief moment, Karen saw Kenny's eyes return to normal as he faced her.

Abruptly, Leslie snapped, "Kenny!" Quickly, the blond shook his head and his eyes spaced out once more, and he obediently followed Leslie into the car, shutting the door behind him.

Karen could only watch as the car drove off down the street, a tear slipping down her cheek as it vanished from sight. Seconds after, she was grabbed by one of the officers and carried back inside her house, her new prison.

* * *

Craig's Gang sneaked through the neighborhood, passing by the zombie-like townsfolk as they made their way towards Kyle's house. All of them wore a frightened expression on their faces, but Craig steeled himself, trying to look brave, even as he himself was in the midst of a panic attack.

Clyde let out a squeak as he accidentally bumped into a man, looking up and recoiling when he saw the man's lifeless eyes. "Oh man," He muttered in fear. "Oh jeez, oh man. . ."

"Quiet!" Craig hissed, slapping a hand over Clyde's mouth. "Look. We're here." He pointed towards Kyle's house, which was down across the street. He eyed the wandering townsfolk for a few moments before motioning for the gang to follow him.

As they made their way towards the house, they ran into another group of children who had rushed out from the shadows. "Please don't hurt us!" Clyde immediately cried out, jumping into Token's arms, who quickly dumped him onto the ground.

"Calm down," A familiar voice said. "It's us." The other group moved out of the darkness, revealing themselves to be Wendy, Butters and the other girls, including Annie.

"What are you doing here?" Craig asked.

"Same as you; going to Kyle's house," Red replied, placing her hands on her hips. "Butters here came to get us as soon as he could. Said that Cartman, Scott and Dougie were acting like everyone else."

"What's going on?" Annie asked, shivering. "Why is everyone acting so weird?"

"I dunno, but I think Kyle knows the answer," Wendy replied. "Come on!"

Quickly, the group rushed towards Kyle's house. Wendy and Craig started knocking on the door repeatedly. They heard movement from inside, along with the curtain windows opening for a split-second before closing once more. Finally, the door creaked open, revealing Kyle.

"Come in quickly," He whispered harshly. The other kids obeyed, rushing inside.

They found that the door and windows had been barricaded with whatever furniture they could find. Gerald and Sheila were in the living room, holding shotguns, their eyes bloodshot. Kyle himself looked tired and scared as he led the group upstairs into his room, where Stan and Ike were in currently.

"You guys made it!" Stan exclaimed, a hint of joy in his voice despite the dire situation.

"Alright Kyle, we're here," Craig said as he redhead hopped onto the bed. "Now what's going on?"

Kyle inhaled deeply before responding. "It's Leslie," He said. "Leslie Meyers. She's behind all of this."

"The ad girl?" Butters asked, confused. "The one PC Principal hated?"

"No, I mean, yes, uh, it's complicated," Kyle said, rubbing his face. "She's the _real _Leslie. She's the one who created the game, tricked everyone into entering it by promising that whoever got the key would be able to grant their wish. But it was all a trap! Now everyone who's entered the game is under her Mind Control spell!"

"Wait, so we were never going to be able to grant our wish?" Red asked, furrowing her eyebrows. "What a ripoff!"

"I can't believe we all fell for that stupid ploy!" Craig said, sounding disappointed in himself. "It was so obvious!"

"Guys, pay attention!" Kyle snapped.

"Wait, but who got the key then?" Bebe asked. She'd been killed in-game, so she hadn't been there to see who got it.

"It was Kenny," Kyle explained. "He was the one Leslie wanted to get the key. Now he's like a battery powering the brainwashing spell."

"Kenny. . ." Annie whispered, horror dawning on her face. "Oh, no! I helped him reach the key!"

"Wait, _that's _what you were doing this whole time?" Bebe sputtered in disbelief. "We let Butters into our group because you preferred being a boy's lackey?"

"No," Annie retorted angrily, putting her hands on her hips. "I did it because Kenny had a worse life than us, and if anyone deserved a chance for a better one, it was him."

The girls stepped back, surprised by Annie's heated response.

"Wait a minute," Stan piped up. "Why did Leslie want Kenny to get the key? Why not anyone else?"

The kids puzzled over the question before Tweek spoke up. "I was under her Mind Control spell," He explained. "When I was forced to be in Cartman's army. But I was able to snap myself out of it thanks to Craig!"

"Of course!" Kyle exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "The Mind Control isn't infallible; it can be broken with enough willpower."

"What does that have to do with Kenny, though?" Craig asked.

"Leslie told me he was trapped in a dream world where his wish came true," Kyle explained. "Remember what Annie said; he had a worse life than all of us. That was why Leslie wanted him to get the key! She wanted the person with the worst life, the person who would want most of all to change their fortune, because then they wouldn't want to snap out of her spell! They'd have to return to their miserable life!"

"Oh, man," Stan whispered, distraught. "We never should've turned a blind eye to his hardships! We should've been there for him more!"

"We still have to snap him out of it, though," Wendy pointed out. "If we can break the control over him, everyone else will be freed, too."

"You think Leslie will make it that easy?" Kyle asked. "She's probably keeping Kenny under her watch 24/7 to ensure he remains under her control."

"And all the people under her control," Token whispered. "Who knows how many grown-ups, our schoolmates, the President. . . we'll be slaughtered if we try to get to 'em!"

"No!" Annie suddenly exclaimed, stunning everyone else. "Our town is in danger; Kenny, our friend, is in danger! I did not travel hundreds of miles for Kenny, facing off against 5th Graders, and getting kicked in the crotch repeatedly by a kindergartner, just to give up on him now!"

"But even if we do get to him, how are we gonna break the spell?" Clyde asked. "Snapping Tweek out of the spell was hard enough, and it took his love for his boyfriend to do that! I doubt any of us could do that for Kenny."

Annie stood there, deep in thought for a few moments, before her eyes lit up.

"Maybe we can't," She whispered, smiling. "But I think I know someone who _can_."

* * *

_Read and review._


	28. Fugitives

_Playerhood18: We'll see._

_GBond007: They were talking about snapping Kenny out of the Mind Control spell._

_South Down: Somebody gets it._

_Guest tea: Alright then._

_I am a burglar: Okay..._

* * *

The first thing Kenny had done after breakfast was take a long shower before ditching his parka in exchange for a red t-shirt and blue shorts. Afterwards, he headed outside to meet up with his friends, who were waiting for him down the street.

"Wow Kenny, you look different," Kyle pointed out when he saw his friend's new attire. "In a good way, I mean."

"Yeah," Kenny replied, his voice un-muffled now that he wasn't wearing his parka. "I'm probably gonna be trying all my new clothes this week alone. See which one I like most."

"Neat," Stan complimented as they went walking down the sidewalk. "So Kenny, how does it feel now that you've won?"

"It's awesome!" Kenny exclaimed. "Look at this!" He pulled out a wallet, and in it were several $20 bills.

"Cool!" Stan and Kyle said in unison.

Cartman folded his arms and rolled his eyes. "I should have gotten that prize," He said, pouting. "My wish would have been so much sweeter. . ."

"Shut up, Cartman!" Kyle snapped. "Kenny won fair and square! Deal with it!"

"Yeah," Kenny said, nodding in agreement and blowing a raspberry at Cartman, whose face turned red.

Placing an arm around Kenny's shoulder, Stan asked, "So, Kenny, what are you gonna do first?"

"Well first, I'm gonna buy a few dolls for Karen," Kenny replied. "Then, since my dad said he's gonna be buying a few game consoles for me and my siblings, I should probably buy a few games then."

"Sounds like a plan!" Kyle said, grinning. "We'll come with!"

"Thanks," Kenny replied. The boys were about to do just that, when suddenly, Kenny felt a splitting migraine rip through his head, causing him to shout out and collapse onto his knees, clutching his head.

"Kenny!" The other boys exclaimed in horror. They crowded around him, Stan asked, "Are you alright?"

Kenny gritted his teeth, still clutching his aching head.

_Kenny, please!_ A voice called out in the darkness. _Don't leave me, Kenny!_

Sounded almost like. . . Karen. . .

Almost as quickly as it started, the headache faded. Kenny shook his head and got to his feet, rubbing his head in confusion. "Kenny, what happened?" Kyle asked, concerned.

Kenny removed his hand from his head. "It was. . . nothing," He replied. "Let's. . . let's go."

Shaking off the off feeling, Kenny continued down the street, his friends following suite.

* * *

"We're here, Miss Meyers," The hypnotized Officer Barbrady droned as he stopped the police car at City Hall. Exiting the vehicle, he opened the backdoor, allowing Leslie to hop out of the car. With a gesture of her hand, she beckoned Kenny to follow her.

Leslie's arms were folded behind her back as she marched towards the entrance of City Hall, flanked by security guards outside the building. With a single push, she swung the doors open and entered the building.

As Leslie and Kenny made their way to the Mayor's office, they found a woman already inside, standing in front of the Mayor's desk.

"Please, Mayor, I don't know what's going on," The woman was telling the Mayor. "My little Tommy entered that online game of his, and when he came out, he's been completely different. He won't respond to anything I tell him; it's like he's in a trance."

"Don't worry," Mayor McDaniels reassured her, her voice eerily monotone. "Everything is alright."

"You've been saying that ever since I came here!" The woman exclaimed in a frustrated tone. "I want answers!"

Striding past the distressed woman, Leslie approached the mayor. "Get this woman out of here," She commanded. "Everyone is to remain indoors until further notice."

"As you wish," Mayor McDaniels droned. She turned to the guards and gestured towards them, and immediately, they rushed over and seized the woman, dragging her out of the office.

"Hey, wait!" The woman cried as she was hauled off. "You can't do this! Please!"

As the office doors were slammed shut, the Mayor said, "What are your orders, Miss Meyers?"

Leslie was silent for a few moments, deep in thought. She'd ordered Kyle disposed of inside the game, but she wasn't sure if her minions had finished the job. Better safe than sorry.

"I want Kyle Broflovski," She demanded. "I'm issuing a warrant for his apprehension. Bring him to the City Hall."

"As you wish," The Mayor said. Standing up, she headed off to relay the order to the guards. As the Mayor exited the room, Leslie took her place sitting in her office chair, a smirk on her lips.

"Isn't this wonderful, Kenny?" She asked the mind-controlled blond, who didn't respond. "I'm finally getting my wish. And this is just the beginning."

Standing up, she walked over to the window and stared out at the town before her, a town completely under her control.

"If things keep going my way, _everyone _will become my toys."

* * *

At Kyle's house, the ragtag group had been puzzling over their strategy for an indiscernible amount of time when Sheila had suddenly barged into the room, exclaiming, "The police are outside!"

"Oh shit!" Stan shouted in a panic. "We're not done planning yet!"

"Open up!" A gruff voice shouted from downstairs, followed by a rough banging noise on the door. The kids shook in fear as they weighed their options.

"Can we exit from the back?" Butters suggested. The kids rushed out the room and down the hallway towards the back of the house and gazed out the window. To their horror, however, several kids, wearing costumes from inside the game, were advancing from the backyard.

"Well, we're fucked," Craig said, sounding only mildly irritated despite the dire situation.

"That's it!" The voice from downstairs bellowed. "Break down the door!"

The kids rushed towards the top of the staircase just in time to see the door be smashed through by several police officers. They infiltrated the house, pushing past Kyle's parents as they scoured the room. One of them glanced upwards and saw the kids standing atop the stairs.

"There they are!" The officer shouted. "Get 'em!"

Before the officers could react, Sheila grabbed a chair and smacked the two nearest officers over the head. "Go children, now!" She shouted as she struck another officer over the head. "We'll hold them off!"

As Kyle's parents held off the cops, the kids quickly burst down the stairs and out the open door. Kyle took the time to snatch his father's car keys before fleeing. As they rushed outside, a girl dressed as an elf pounced out of the shadows, tackling Butters, who screamed in terror.

"Get off of him!" Red shouted, body-slamming the elf off of Butters. Grabbing Butters by the arm, she hoisted him to his feet and continued forward.

Kyle slammed the door shut on the officers as they attempted to pursue them. "Into the car!" He shouted, rushing towards his father's car. The other kids obeyed, scrambling inside, struggling to make room in the vehicle.

"Come on, come on!" Kyle said as he pushed the car keys into the slot, nearly fumbling with them. He managed to activate the car, but it remained still.

"What are you waiting for?" Stan asked from the passenger seat. "Let's go!"

"I can't reach the pedals," Kyle pointed out. As he spoke, a sword was plunged through the window, nearly skewering Kyle. He dodged the blade, turning around to see a 5th grader dressed as a crusader, hanging from the door.

"I can!" Wendy declared, squeezing underneath Kyle and pressing her hand against the pedal. Quickly, the car backed up, causing the crusader to tumble off the door. Behind them, several officers dodged out of the way as the car exited the driveway.

Quickly, Kyle spun the steering wheel, and the car drove down the streets. "Where do we go now?" Clyde asked.

"We have to get Karen!" Annie reminded the group. "If anyone can snap Kenny out of his spell, it's her!"

"Right!" Kyle said, driving the car down the street. He was doing a pretty good job, despite his young age.

As they drove, Token pressed his face against the window and looked outside. Quickly, his eyes widened in horror. "Uh, guys, I think we have company?"

"What do you-" Bebe started, only to let out a horrified shriek as an arrow lodged itself into the window next to her. The kids looked outside and saw several Indian Hunters standing on the rooftops across the neighborhood, arrows trained on the moving vehicle.

"Oh, shit!" Kyle shouted, swerving the car as a hail of arrows were launched at it. Several of them pierced the car's metal, others smashing into the windows, nearly striking the car's occupants.

"I liked this game so much better when the weapons were fake!" Clyde squeaked, ducking as one arrow managed to smash through the window and into the car. Miraculously, it avoided hitting anyone.

As Kyle turned a corner, the kids felt something land on top of the car. Before anyone could ask what it was, a long, pale arm smashed through the windowsill. Kyle recoiled as his face was hit with tiny shards of glass, cutting into his skin. The car skidded wildly, nearly crashing into a house.

Kyle jerked his head to the side as the Visitor swiped at him, hanging onto the top of the car. Quickly, Wendy slammed her fist onto the bricks, causing the car to stop abruptly. Quickly, the Visitor went flying off the car, tumbling onto the street in front of them. Wendy pressed onto the pedals, and the car zoomed forward, running over the alien attacker.

Soon enough, the kids had entered the SoDoSoPa district. "We're almost there!" Kyle exclaimed, relief washing over him.

As they entered Kenny's neighborhood, gunshots rang through the air. Kyle panicked and swerved as several police officers fired at the car from the sidewalk. One bullet hit the front tire, causing the car to spiral out of control. The kids screamed in unison as the car crashed, landing on its side.

For a few moments, the kids sat in the downed vehicle, dazed. Kyle was the first to recover, unbuckling his seat-belt and kicking the door open. "Come on, you guys!" He said, grabbing Wendy and shaking her. "We have to get out!"

Slowly, the kids crawled out of the crashed vehicle, still reeling from the violent crash. Nevertheless, they rushed towards the McCormick Residence, using the restaurant exterior to hide as the cops crowded around the downed car.

"Did you see where they went?" One officer asked as they inspected the vehicle, not noticing the kids slip past. Heading behind the house, Kyle opened the house's backdoor and ushered the other kids inside.

Before long, they had reached the living room. Kenny's family was huddled on the couch, but they snapped to attention when they saw the kids arrive. "Kenny's friends!" Carol exclaimed, standing up. "What is going on?"

"No time to explain!" Stan replied. "Look, we need Karen!"

"Me?" Karen asked, stunned. Bebe and Red rushed forward and picked her up, carrying her off the couch.

"What are you kids talking about?" Stuart asked, annoyed. "First some chick shows up and takes my youngest son, and now you want to take my daughter away, too?"

The kids were about to explain, but Annie stormed in front of Stuart. "Look, mister!" She snapped, pointing a finger up at him. "Your son is in danger, and Karen's the only one who can save him! Maybe you could've as well, if you gave a shit about your kids! Now, if you have a shred of affection for Kenny and want to help him, you'll stay out of our way!"

Stuart stared at Annie, taken aback. Nearby, Red leaned in on Wendy and whispered, "What the Hell's happened to her?"

Suddenly, the door swung open, and several cops barged inside. "There they are!" One of them said, pointing at the kids. Karen let out a scream and hid behind the girls. Carol hugged Kevin while Stuart vanished from the living room.

"Stay back!" Kyle warned the officers as they marched forward. "I'm warning you."

"Miss Meyers wants you," The head officer said, looming over the kids. "Come quietly, and no one gets hurt."

Kyle shielded the other kids. "Guys, get Karen outside," He whispered to them. "I'll hold them off. . . somehow." He eyed the cops carefully, unsure of how exactly he was going to do so.

As one of the cops lunged forward, he was sent flying backwards by a blast of electricity. The kids recoiled by the sudden blast of light. When they looked back, their eyes widened in shock. Stuart had reappeared in the living room, only now he was holding a pair of stun gun batons and a pair of goggles were over his eyes.

"Daddy. . ." Karen whispered.

"Go save my son," Sizzler Stuart commanded, keeping his eyes on the cops. "I'll hold these guys off." Lunging forward, he shocked another police officer with his baton.

The kids didn't need to be told twice. They scrambled out back, rushing outside. They fled as far away from the McCormick Residence as they could, not stopping until they were well away. Finally, they stopped once they'd reached a hiding spot, concealed by darkness.

For a few moments, the kids stood there, trying to catch their breaths. "Oh, man. . ." Clyde whispered, clutching his chest. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"W-What do we do now?" Butters asked, shaking in the cold.

"We gotta. . . get Karen. . . to Kenny. . ." Annie whispered, pausing every few seconds to take a breath.

"But how?" Stan asked. "Getting Karen at all was hard enough. How are we gonna get past Leslie and reach him?"

Kyle collapsed onto the ground, clutching his head. "This is my fault," He groaned, distraught. "I played right into Leslie's hands. I was so focused on stopping Cartman that I just disregarded her as a threat."

"You can't just blame yourself, dude," Stan replied. "She fooled all of us."

Karen stepped forward. "I don't know what's going on, but I do know my brother's in danger," She said. "Kenny played that game because he wanted to save me. I'll do anything to save him!"

Annie rested a hand on Karen's shoulder and looked upon the other kids. "Come on, you guys," She said. "We can't call it quits yet. Leslie wants you to think she's won, but we're not out of the game yet!"

"But we just got creamed!" Token exclaimed. "Everyone is against us, now! The Visitors, those Indians, the elves. . ."

"Exactly," Annie said. "They acted like they were still playing the game! Well, why can't we?"

At that, the other kids turned to face Annie, intrigued. "Huh?" Red asked.

"As far as everyone else is concerned, they're playing the game!" Annie said, smacking a fist into her palm. "Well then, let's play their game, too!"

At that, the other kids smirked, an identical idea forming in their heads.

* * *

_Read and review._


	29. Hero Time

_Dragon Slaer: Seriously?_

_Playerhood18: Uh..._

_South Down: Indeed._

_I am a burglar: Sure you do._

_Guest tea: Let's find out._

_GBond007: I just couldn't think up a role for him._

* * *

Leslie Meyers observed the town from the office window of the City Hall. The full moon shown brightly in the dark skies, its rays illuminating the glass window in front of the raven-haired young girl.

_It is time, _she thought.

Dozens of UFOs zoomed through the night sky over the town, flown by the Visitors under Leslie's Mind Control spell. Leslie watched as the spacecrafts flew over the building before turning around, as if sensing someone's arrival. Slowly, the doors opened, and President Garrison marched into the office building, his face as blank as all the others under her spell.

"President," Leslie said, turning to face the man. "I want you to administer the Ubisoft headphones to everyone in town who hasn't played the game yet. Once everyone in South Park is under the spell, we can distribute the headphones across the country."

A grin appeared on her lips, and she added, "And who knows? With those alien spacecrafts, we could take it even further."

"As you wish, Miss Meyers," The President droned before turning around and exiting the room. As he left, Leslie beckoned for Kenny, standing in the corner of the office room, to approach her.

"Kenny," She cooed once he was within arms length of her. "Everything is going as I've planned. But there are still those out there who pose a threat to my plans, to me."

She placed a hand under Kenny's chin, lifting his head up so he could look her in the eyes. "I'm counting on you to protect me," She whispered to him. "And you will, won't you?"

Kenny stared into her eyes for what seemed like an eternity, no hint of emotion in them. Even Leslie was a little unnerved by the utter lack of expression in his eyes; it was one of the few drawbacks of the Mind Control spell.

But eventually, Kenny nodded obediently before backing away and vanishing into the darkness.

Leslie sighed before turning around and leaning on the desk. It was just then that she remembered something.

"Oh, yeah," She whispered to herself. "There's someone _else _I need to thank for all this."

* * *

On the outskirts of the woods, a troop of Indian warriors were marching single-file as they searched the area for any sign of Kyle or his friends. As they patrolled the area, the boy at the front caught sight of a dark figure passing through the shadows.

"Over there!" Douglas shouted, pointing at the figure. Quickly, the warriors charged into the woods, arrows and pickaxes at the ready. The figure dashed through the trees, until Tommy Turner launched a well-placed arrow that caught the figure by the sleeve, pinning them against the wall. Within moments, the warriors had the figure surrounded from all sides.

"Please don't hurt me," The figure pleaded, quaking as the warriors closed in on her.

Douglas leaned in, squinting his eyes in the dark to see who it was. "It's Annie," He said. "Why aren't you inside or with the other patrols?"

Eerily quickly, Annie dropped the frightened act. "Oh, I would've," She said, a smirk appearing on her lips. "But we decided to play a little _game_."

"What do you mean, 'we'?" Pete Melman asked. Mere seconds after he had asked the question, a flash of red and yellow zipped through the trees, whisking Pete away into the shadows before he even had a chance to scream.

The other Indians whirled around, their eyes widened in shock. "What was that?" Tommy asked. Quickly, the kids huddled together, facing all sides so as to not be caught off-guard.

The flash of red and yellow appeared once more, this time snatching Brimmy before once again vanishing into the shadows. "There it goes!" Douglas shouted. "After it!" Quickly, the boys scattered in the direction where the figure had taken their comrade.

As they ran, Douglas suddenly felt something clench around his legs. A scream escaped his lips as he found himself ensnared in a Chomper. "Guys, watch out!" He warned his comrades. "The area's littered with traps!" His warning came too late, and soon enough, several of the Indians had been caught by other Chompers scattered across the woods.

As the other Indians wandered around in the darkness, a loose jar was tossed in their direction. The cover opened, and instantly, a swarm of mosquitoes flew out of the jar and towards the braves. The Indians let out high-pitched screams as the mosquitoes buzzed around their heads. Several of them ran around in a panic, colliding into the trees and knocking themselves out.

"What the Hell is going on?" Francis asked, shaking in fear. At that moment, he felt an unseen force lift him into the air. He was turned around, and found himself staring at Doctor Timmy. The handicapped superhero lowered his arm, and Francis was slammed onto the ground, the force of the blow knocking him out cold.

Quickly, the rest of Coon and Friends pounced from the shadows onto the rest of the unsuspecting Indians. The braves were so caught off-guard that they barely had time to mount an offensive; within moments, they were subdued. A few tried to run, but Professor Chaos blocked their paths. "Sorry about this, you guys," He apologized. Before they could run, he unleashed an energy blast that stunned them.

As his comrades dealt with the rest of the patrol, the Human Kite flew out of the trees; with a single blast from his laser eyes, he vaporized the arrow pinning Annie. "Thanks," She said, brushing her sleeve.

"Alright, that's the last of 'em," Toolshed reported, dropping an unconscious Douglas onto the ground.

The girls appeared out of the woods, bringing Karen along with them. "If we're lucky, we can keep this stuff to a minimum," Red told the group. "We're supposed to be saving these people, not hurting them."

"We need to find a way to reach Leslie and bring Karen to Kenny," Annie reminded the group. "But to do that, we're gonna have to avoid drawing attention to ourselves. And to do that, we'll need a disguise." As she spoke, she took the feathered headdress off the head of one of the unconscious braves. Coon and Friends, along with the rest of the group, nodded.

"Alright, you guys," Annie told the group. "It's time for the Boss Battle to begin!"

* * *

Eric Cartman groaned as he opened his eyes. It took a while for his vision to return to him, and once it did, he found that he was inside a tiny cage, in the middle of the City Hall office room.

"What the. . . hey, what the Hell is this!" He shouted, standing to his feet, only for his head to bounce against the ceiling of the cramped cage. He collapsed onto his hands and knees, rubbing his sore head. At that moment, he heard footsteps next to him, and turned his head to see Leslie Meyers, pacing around the cage.

"Who. . . who are you?" He asked.

"Oh, Cartman, I'm hurt," Leslie whispered, pressing a hand against her chest. "Don't you recognize your 'savior'."

Cartman's eyes widened. "Y-You!" He shouted. "You were that motorcycle chick! The one that brought me back to life and gave me those sweet powers! Hey, I remember you now; you're that Leslie Meyers girl!"

"Yes, and no," Leslie replied, stopping at the front of Cartman's cage.

"Where are we?" Cartman asked. He strained as he tried to summon an Energy Blast, but was stunned when nothing happened. "What happened to my powers?"

"We're back in the real world, dumbass," Leslie explained. "One of your friends got the key. The game's over, Eric."

Fury swelled in Cartman. "One of my friends got the key?!" He shouted in envy. "Who? Was it Kyle! Oh, I swear, if it was Kyle, I'm gonna-"

"I wouldn't be too jealous of the winner," Leslie interrupted, grabbing one of the cell bars. "He's just as much a loser as all of you."

Cartman stared at Leslie, confused. "Don't you see, moron?" She continued, leaning down to look him in the eyes. "That key was a ploy to get all of you into my game. Now, everyone who played it is under my Mind Control spell."

"W-What about me?" Cartman asked. "Why aren't I Mind Controlled?"

"I lifted the spell for you so I could thank you personally," Leslie said. "If anything, you were the biggest loser of all. All that power you gained, so much it made you think you were a God, and you were nothing more than a pawn in _my _plan. You did everything I hoped you would, and in the end, you couldn't even beat Kyle."

Cartman gritted his teeth as he glared into Leslie's eyes. "Fuck you, bitch!" He shouted in defiance.

Leslie simply scoffed at his insult. "Look at you," She sneered. "Pathetic. A little weasel who's so full of himself he thinks the whole world should bow down to him. Even now, all you can do is curse now that you've been beaten." She got to her feet, staring down at Cartman scornfully.

"You're a loser, Cartman," She said, folding her arms. "Whether you're a sheriff, a superhero, or a Grand Wizard, it'll never change what you really are. But regardless, thank you. Thank you for allowing me to win."

Slowly, Cartman's hate-filled eyes were replaced with dejection. His grip on the cell bars loosened, and he slowly crumbled down in his tiny cage.

Leslie grinned, satisfied, and turned around to stare out the window. At that moment, her eyes widened as she sensed another presence enter the room. Quick as lightning, she whirled around and fired a lightning bolt over Cartman's cage. Quickly, the Human Kite sprang from the shadows, dodging the blast, and soared over Leslie's head. With a sweeping kick, he knocked the girl to her feet.

"Kyle!" Cartman shouted in shock.

Leslie, by contrast, didn't seem surprised at all; if anything, she seemed happy to see him. "I was wondering when I'd see you again," Leslie whispered casually as she got to her feet, turning to face the Human Kite as he took on a fighting stance. "Always the hero, Kyle."

"And you're always the villain," The Human Kite retorted, staring her down. "You may be human, but you're just as soulless as your clone."

"There's no point in fighting, Kyle," Leslie replied coolly. "You're badly outnumbered." She snapped her fingers, and within moments, a group of Indian Braves had burst through the door, their weapons drawn.

Kyle inhaled. "Let these people go, Leslie," He whispered. "They're human beings, just like you."

"Sorry, Kyle," Leslie replied, shaking her head. "This town belongs to me. And soon, so much more; with the President under my control, I'll have him send the headphones all over the world, sending millions of people into the game. With the key activated, as soon as they enter it, they, too, will be under my control."

"Then I'll have to stop you," Kyle said, his voice steady.

"You?" Leslie scoffed, looking Kyle up and down. "Please, you're just one child. How can you possibly stand up against this town. Face it, Kyle, you're alone."

Kyle smirked. "Who said anything about me being alone?" He replied.

Leslie's grin vanished.

Behind her, one of the Indians shouted, "Now!" Quickly, he removed his disguise, revealing himself to be Toolshed. The others did the game, switching into their superhero costumes.

Fastpass was the first into action, circling Leslie at lightning speed, engulfing her in a small tornado. The girl let out a shocked cry as she was spun around in circles and sent flying across the room. As she regained balance, she found herself staring at Mosquito.

"Swarm away!" He shouted, unleashing a swarm of mosquitoes that swept over Leslie. The girl began to frantically swipe at the swarm, trying to shoo them off. As they dispersed, Leslie ducked under a laser blast from the Human Kite. In her distraction, she didn't notice Super Craig spring towards her and land a well-placed punch to the jaw, sending her stumbling backwards.

Shaking her head in a fury, Leslie began to unleash Lightning Bolts on the group, but was forced to dodge as the Human Kite rained down more laser blasts. As she attempted to flee, she was pinned to the wall by an arrow shot by Blood Elf Bebe.

Within moments, the group had Leslie surrounded. "Give it up, Leslie!" Toolshed shouted. "Now, where's Kenny?"

Though she was clearly exhausted, Leslie grinned defiantly. "Oh, you want your friend?" She asked, breathing heavily. "Alright then, you can have him!"

Glancing upwards, she bellowed, "Kenny!"

Quickly, a black and gray figure, unseen to the group, dropped from the ceiling, landing between Leslie and the group. The superheroes were so stunned, they didn't had time to react before the figure delivered a sweeping kick, knocking half of them to their feet, before rushing forward and pummeling Tupperware.

"It's Mysterion!" Wonder Tweek shouted in awe and fear.

Quickly, Mysterion grabbed Tupperware and judo-threw him into Bebe and Red, flooring them. Professor Chaos attempted to launch his stun blast on him, but Mysterion dodged out of the way at the last second, causing the blast to hit Toolshed instead.

"Oops," Professor Chaos said.

"Sorry, Kenny," The Human Kite whispered, and he began firing laser blasts at his friend. Mysterion hurled a string of fireworks into the line of fire, however, and the resulting explosion sent the entire group flying backwards. As the group recovered, Mysterion pulled out the arrow pinning Leslie. Grabbing her by the hand, he quickly led her out of the room and into the hallways.

As they ran, Leslie pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "Hello, officers?" She said. "Yes, the fugitives are here in the City Hall. Bring everyone you can, ASAP!"

The group rushed out the door to follow them, but by then, Mysterion and Leslie had vanished into the shadows. "Well, that ain't good," Professor Chaos said.

"The whole town will be here, soon," Call Girl pointed out. "What are we gonna do?"

The Human Kite turned to face the rest of the group. "Stan and I will get Annie and Karen and follow Leslie and Kenny. The rest of you, try and occupy the town as long as you can."

"Gee, that'll be a piece of cake," Bebe said sarcastically.

Kyle pulled out his phone and dialed Annie's number. "Annie?" He said.

"Me and Karen are outside," Annie replied. "Did you find Kenny?"

"Yeah, but he ran off with Leslie," Kyle replied. "The town's gonna be here soon. Me and Stan are gonna take you two after Leslie and Kenny."

"Alright, then!" Annie declared.

Ending the call, Kyle turned to the rest of the group. "Come on, you guys!" He declared. "Let's save Kenny!"

With that, the group took off down the hallway.

* * *

_Read and review._


	30. Holding the Line

_South Down: Thanks._

_Playerhood18: Uh-huh._

_August Rollins: You bet it is._

_GBond007: Indeed._

_Guest tea: Alright then._

_I am a burglar: Okay..._

* * *

"Oh, Kenny, this is exactly what I wanted!" Karen said as Kenny presented the toys he'd gotten her from the shop. She rummaged through them, taking the time to hug each one.

"I'm glad," Kenny replied, smiling. His sister was happier than he'd ever remembered her being before.

Karen glanced upwards to look her older brother in the eyes. "Kenny, I want to thank you," She said to him. "You've given us everything we've ever wanted. I wish there was some way for me to repay you."

"No need, Karen," Kenny replied, hugging her close. "Just seeing you happy is more than enough."

Karen giggled softly, and rested her head against his chest. For an uncertain amount of time, she simply lay there, in her brother's embrace.

Slowly, however, Kenny's smile turned into a frown. His hold on Karen tightened, causing her to pull away from him. "Kenny, what's wrong?" She asked. "Is something bothering you?"

"No," He denied. "This is everything I ever wanted. It's just. . ."

"Just what?" Karen asked.

"I dunno," He replied, rubbing his head. "I just feel. . . this almost seems too good to be true. . ."

Immediately, Karen reached out and grabbed Kenny's hand into her own. "Don't say that, Kenny!" She snapped in an almost demanding tone. "This is real; it all is! You've made it real, Kenny!" Standing on top of the bed, she forced Kenny to look into her eyes.

"Don't you dare think this isn't real, Kenny," She told him, her stare almost hypnotic. "It is real. _I'm _real."

"I. . . I know," Kenny forced himself to say, unwilling to see his sister upset. "This is real. All of it."

But even as he spoke those words, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was wrong.

* * *

On the doorsteps of City Hall, Annie and Karen held each other close as they saw the angry mob of brainwashed townsfolk begin to materialize a long distance away. In the night sky, UFOs soared over the building, preventing anyone from slipping out, while the townsfolk marched forward.

"Oh, geez," Karen whispered in fear as she saw the mob approach.

"Don't worry, it's gonna be okay," Annie reassured her, rubbing Karen's back as she waited for the superhero group to show up.

Sure enough, Coon and Friends, and the few other non-brainwashed kids, burst out the door. "Good, you're here," The Human Kite said when he saw the two at the door.

"Yeah, and so are they," Annie said, pointing to the mob advancing upon the building.

"Oh, hamburgers," Professor Chaos gulped as he saw the countless people approaching. Cops, schoolmates, even the President were there, marching like an army towards their targets.

The Human Kite took a deep breath. "Remember, guys," He said to the rest of the team. "Hold them off as long as you can. We have to get Karen to her brother."

Despite the unfavorable odds, Call Girl gave a salute. "On it," She said, masking her fear. She and the others stepped forward, shielding City Hall from the oncoming mob. Meanwhile, the Human Kite took Karen into his arms and rushed into the building, Stan and Annie following closely behind.

"There's Kyle!" Officer Barbrady shouted, pointing as the redhead vanished inside. "Get 'em!"

Letting out a roar, the crowd charged forward. In their haste, however, they didn't notice the multiple Chomper traps laced across the ground by Toolshed preemptively. Shouts of pain filled the air as several people stepped into the traps, immobilizing them.

"Come on!" Super Craig shouted, and he and the other superheroes raced forward towards the crowd.

Fastpass zipped through the townsfolk, snatching several people out of the crowd at lightspeed, hanging them from lamp posts or leaving them tied to trees. A few police officers fired at him, but they couldn't hit him at the speed he was going at. He ran circles around the officers, gaining such speed that he engulfed them in a tornado. The cops were sent flying in all directions, smacking against houses or being smashed through windows.

In the middle of the crowd, Super Craig was fighting off several of his schoolmates with his bare hands. With an angry shout, he sent a Space Grunt flying with a uppercut, before dodging a swing from a squire and flooring him with an overhand. As he fought, he didn't notice a Crusader lumbering towards him, his sword raised in the air.

"Craig, look out!" Wonder Tweek shouted, jumping over Craig's hand and landing a midair kick into the Crusader's chest, knocking him backwards. Craig whirled around, eyes widened in shock.

"T-Thanks, Tweek," He stuttered in shock.

Wonder Tweek didn't have time to reply, because both boys had to duck as several Alien Drones zoomed over their heads, metal claws outstretched towards them. They hovered over the young superheroes, snapping at them with their claws.

"Help me!" Bebe shouted as she was snatched up into the air by one of the drones. Quickly, Professor Chaos fired a stun blast at the drone, causing it to drop Bebe. The girl shrieked as she plunged down towards the ground. Professor Chaos rushed to catch her, only to be flattened beneath her as she fell. The two crashed onto the ground, stunned.

A growling noise filled the air, and the crowd split apart as Geldon the dragon lumbered across the field. He loomed over the fallen Bebe and Butters, fire omitting from his jaws. With a hiss, he pounced upon the pair.

_SHING!_

Geldon howled as Dragonslayer Red plunged her battleaxe into his long neck. He reeled backwards, giving Red enough time to grab Bebe and Butters and drag them out of the way, seconds before the dragon collapsed, nearly crushing them.

Call Girl was busy trading fire with Visitors, blasting them with electric shocks while dodging their laser blasts. Suddenly, she was sent flying by an explosion, crashing hard against the wall. She landed on the ground, dazed.

Through unfocused eyes, she saw Nathan, preparing to throw another bomb. Just before he could, Fastpass zoomed in, plucking the bomb out of his hand and tossing it up into the air before running off. The bomb promptly landed in front of Nathan before detonating, sending him flying through the air.

As Fastpass raced around the mob, Dougie, in his General Disarray costume, rushed out of the crowd. Seconds before the speedster zipped by, Disarray dumped a bucket of lava onto the ground in front of him.

A stuttered cry escaped Fastpass' mouth as he felt his feet catch on fire. He tumbled violently across the ground, coming to a stop in front of the City Hall.

"Haha!" General Disarray laughed. "Nothing can save you now!"

Several sci-fi kids approached the fallen Fastpass, but Call Girl kept them at bay, blasting them with electricity. But even she could barely keep going.

_We can't keep this up for long, _she thought. _Stan, Kyle, we need you._

* * *

Inside the City Hall, the four kids raced up the stairs as fast as they could. They knew it wouldn't be long before the crowd got in, which meant they had to find Kenny and Leslie as soon as possible.

_CRASH!_

The four stopped in their tracks as several police officers smashed through the window of the hallway, blocking their path. Thundering footsteps raced behind them, and the kids spun around to find President Garrison and Stan's family, preventing them from turning back.

"Fuck!" The Human Kite whispered.

With a gulp, Toolshed hesitantly stepped forward. "Mom, dad, Shelly," He said, raising his hands in the air. "I know you're under a Mind Control spell, but come on. Don't you recognize me? It's Stan."

Stan's parents and sister stared at Stan briefly, not making any movements. Then, Shelly leaned forward and swatted Stan across the face, sending him flying into Kyle.

"Well, that didn't work," He grumbled, rubbing his bruised cheek.

Racing forward, Annie punched one of the police officers in the groin. As he doubled over in pain, she snatched his baton and whacked the other officers in the legs, sending them tumbling down as well. "Come on!" She shouted, racing past the downed cops. Stan, Kyle and Karen followed, Stan's family and Garrison thundering after them.

To keep their pursuers at bay, Toolshed dumped Chompers onto the ground, forcing them to stop in their tracks. As they attempted to find a way to avoid the trap, the kids ducked down another hallway.

"Look!" Annie shouted, pointing up at the attic door, which was creaked slightly open. "That has to be where they are!"

The kids heard footsteps racing behind them, and Annie scooped Karen up and handed her to Kyle. "Go!" She ordered. The Human Kite nodded, taking flight and crashing through the attic door. She and Toolshed leaped up after them.

As soon as they entered the attic, the four pressed up against each other, scouring the room. It was pitch black inside, and they could barely see their own hands in front of their faces.

"We know you're in here," The Human Kite called out. "Come out of the shadows!"

"We could have worked together," Leslie's voice replied out of the darkness. The kids immediately went on alert, trying to find the source of her voice, but it almost seemed to come from everywhere, encircling them all at once.

"You're so smart, Kyle," Leslie bemoaned. "How could you not see what I was offering you? This whole town, this whole _world _could've been yours, if only you'd have pledge your allegiance to me."

"You know I can't do that, Leslie," Kyle replied, even as he tried to pick her out in the darkness.

He heard the raven-haired girl sigh. "Pity," She whispered. "Kenny, eliminate them."

There was a flash of purple, and Annie was sent flying through the room by a left hook. Toolshed whirled around, only to be snatched from the darkness and hurled into the wall. The Human Kite could barely make out small movements in the darkness and fired in its direction, but failed to hit his mark. As he fired, one stray blast smashed through the window to the attic, allowing the moon's rays to illuminate the room.

The Human Kite could finally see Leslie, pinning Toolshed down to the ground, a knife raised over his head. Before she could strike, he tackled her to the ground. They rolled across the floorboards, exchanging punches and kicks.

As Annie helped Toolshed to her feet, the attic door burst open. Quickly, the two rushed forward, beating down on the police officers' heads as they attempted to enter.

In the midst of the chaos, Karen could see Mysterion, rushing to aid Leslie as she fought the Human Kite. _Be strong, Karen, _she thought to herself. Then, she rushed forward, grabbing Mysterion's cape.

"Kenny!" She said. "It's me, Karen!"

Mysterion turned to face her for only a moment, then dismissively shoved her off. She landed roughly onto the floorboards, and took a few moments before getting back up.

Mysterion dove towards the Human Kite, grabbing him and wrenching him off of Leslie. Before he could engage him in combat, Karen threw herself between the two. "Come on, Kenny!" She exclaimed, grabbing him by the wrists. "You're stronger than that Mind Control spell. Snap out of it!"

But in spite of her pleas, Mysterion's eyes remained as cold and emotionless as ever.

Leslie stepped next to Mysterion. "You can beg all you want, little girl," She sneered, staring Karen down. "Your brother is perfectly happy in the dream world I've invented for him. There's nothing you can do that would make him want to leave it."

The Human Kite growled and lunged at Leslie, but Mysterion blocked his path, pinning him to the ground. Karen watched as the two scuffled violently with each other, tears brimming in her eyes. Slowly, she turned to face Leslie, and the older girl was surprised to see her defeated expression shift to one of determination.

"You're wrong," Karen whispered, her hands tightening into fists. "There _is _something I can do."

And with that, she lunged at Leslie.

* * *

_Read and review._


	31. Boss Fight

_South Down: Throw down!_

_Playerhood18: Uh-huh._

_GBond007: The issue is Leslie isn't brainwashing them to make the world a better place, she's doing it so she can have total control over them and essentially make them her slaves, something Kyle is aware of. That, and they'd be under Leslie's control; they'd only do what Kyle says if Leslie allows it._

_August Rollins: Yeah._

_Guest tea: Maybe..._

_I am a burglar: He isn't._

_geminidrake: Thanks._

* * *

Chaos raged around the City Hall as the ragtag group of superheroes did their best to hold off the angry mob converging upon the building. Despite the massive odds stacked against them, they had managed to fell a good deal of the mob.

But no matter how many people they took down, more soon came.

"Retreat!" Officer Barbrady cried as he and a squad of police were set upon by a horde of mosquitoes unleashed by Mosquito. They turned tail and fled, waving their arms in the air as the tiny insects hovered over and around them, concealing their vision.

Professor Timmy was currently shielding the wounded Fastpass, using his telekinesis to toss several advancing Space Grunts away from them. Several gunners charged in from the side, one of them blasting at his wheelchair. He hit the wheel, causing Timmy to collapse onto the ground in front of Fastpass. Within moments, they were surrounded.

Super Craig and Tupperware were back to back, trading blows with several Indian Braves and Squires. "What's taking those guys?" Tupperware asked as he dodged a swing from Lola before punching her out. "Shouldn't they have reached Kenny by now?"

"I'm sure they're doing their best!" Super Craig reassured them as he shoved Brimmy away. He was breathing heavily, worn out from the endless fighting. Despite his reassurance, he wasn't sure how long he could keep going.

A shadow loomed in from the side, and the pair turned around to see Scott Malkinson in his Captain Diabetes costume, his face contorted with rage and his hand stuffed with sweets.

"Oh, no. . ." Tupperware whispered as realization dawned upon him.

Quickly, Captain Diabetes gorged down the sweets. Almost instantaneously, his body started quaking violently, his skin turning red as he entered a diabetic rage. With a furious roar, he launched himself at the two superheroes, slamming into them with a force they hadn't known was in him. Before they could recover, Captain Diabetes delivered several vicious strikes upon them, leaving dark bruises on their skin.

Tupperware tried to retaliate, but Captain Diabetes grabbed onto his arm. Yanking hard, he ripped off his armor, before tearing through the plastic jug surrounding his head. Pinning him to the ground, he slammed Tupperware's unprotected head against the ground, knocking him unconscious.

Before Captain Diabetes could proceed further, Super Craig tackled him to the ground. They rolled around, exchanging punches and scratches, before Super Craig ended up pinned beneath him. Captain Diabetes raised one of his hands into the air and produced a hypodermic needle.

Nearby, Wonder Tweek had managed to throw off an Indian Brave when he saw Captain Diabetes prepare to plunge the needle into Super Craig's chest. Whirling around, he summoned a tornado that pulled Scott off of Craig and swept him into the whirlwind. With a twirl of his arms, he sent Scott hurling into the heart of the mob, knocking several other people to the ground.

Slowly, Super Craig sat up. His face was scratched up and his clothing torn, but he nonetheless looked relieved. "Thanks, Tweek," He breathed. Wonder Tweek merely smiled in respond.

_THUNK!_

A voiceless scream escaped Tweek's lips as an arrow plunged into his shoulder. Super Craig could only watch in horror as his boyfriend collapsed onto the ground, his face contorted into shock. Whirling around, he saw a Native Hunter, standing on top of the roof of a nearby house. He stood up to rush to his fallen lover, only to be grabbed and pinned to the ground roughly by several Crusaders.

Nearby, Professor Chaos zapped several townsfolk away, and whirled around as he noticed a shadow behind him. However, his heart dropped when he saw who it was.

"F-Father Maxi?" He whispered. The priest stared down at him, his eyes unnervingly cold and heartless.

Professor Chaos stepped backwards as Maxi approached him menacingly. "P-Please Father, I don't wanna fight you. . ." He whispered, raising his hands in defense.

"Then this will be over soon. . ." The priest droned, his voice monotone. Butters let out a yelp as he was grabbed by the throat and lifted into the air.

Ike, in his Canadian Knight form, was currently sparring with the knife-wielding Firkle. With a swing of his lance, he knocked the blade out of Firkle's hands, pinning him up against a tree. His victory was short-lived, though, as Ike turned to see the older Goth Kids approaching him. He aimed the lance at them, only for Pete to dismissively swat it out of his hands. Before Ike could flee, Henrietta pulled out her chains and lassoed his body, dragging him to the ground.

On the steps of the City Hall, Call Girl was blasting away at several of the townsfolk. She saw Red and Bebe get dragged away by the mob, and watched as Mayor McDaniels, Mr. Mackey, and Liane Cartman approached her, their eyes stony. She raised her arms futilely in warning.

For whatever reason, the adults abruptly stopped their advance. Call Girl was confused as to why, until they stepped to the sides and none other than ManBearPig himself thundered towards her. Wendy felt her blood turn to ice.

With a roar, ManBearPig brought his razer-sharp claws down upon her head. With a scream, she dodged out of the way of the massive paw. ManBearPig followed after her, ripping through everything to reach her. She turned around, firing a blast of electricity at his face, but he deflected it with with his paw. Lashing out, he struck Call Girl with the back of his paw, sending her flying through the air and into a tree.

Call Girl had barely slid to the ground when she felt the demon's large paw grab her and pin her down. His murderous eyes met her terrified ones, and he opened his jaws, revealing a row of large, sharp fangs.

As death approached, Call Girl could only close her eyes in a futile attempt to block out the inevitable.

* * *

Leslie's face was filled with shock as Karen McCormick launched herself at the older girl. She was so stunned that she didn't have time to dodge or react in any way, and was knocked backwards as Karen slammed into her.

Her surprise was only temporary, though, and Leslie quickly regained her senses. "You can't be serious, little girl!" She snarled, grabbing Karen by the coat and lifting her into the air. "Do you really think you have a chance against me? You're, like, half my age!"

"I don't care!" Karen retorted before spitting into Leslie's face. Disgusted, the raven-haired girl dropped Karen to the floor, allowing her to get to her feet and tackle her to the ground.

"I'll do anything to save my brother!" Karen declared, digging her tiny nails into Leslie's face, eliciting a pained and enraged growl from the bigger girl.

Nearby, Toolshed and Annie were still trying to keep the attic door closed. Toolshed fumbled with the screwdrivers as he attempted to nail the door shut, even as the brainwashed adults beneath pounded on the door, trying to force it open. A cry of pain caused Annie to whip her head to the source of the scream, and she saw Leslie strike Karen, throwing her off.

"Karen!" She cried, scrambling towards the two girls to help. Leslie whirled around quickly, punching the blonde across the face and sending her sprawling to the ground.

As she hit the floorboards, Annie caught sight of Mysterion and the Human Kite, still struggling with each other. "K-Kenny," She groaned, struggling to get up. "Your sister. . . help her. . ."

Mysterion was too focused fighting the Human Kite to notice, however. The Human Kite was holding back, unwilling to hurt his friend too severely; Mysterion didn't have that restriction, and lashed out at the redheaded superhero with a flurry of punches and kicks that Kyle struggled to block.

"Kenny, snap out of it!" The Human Kite yelled as he ducked under a spinning kick. "Your sister's in danger!"

Annie tried to get to her feet, but crashed back down as Karen was thrown on top of her. The young girl had several scratches on her face, and her breathing was ragged.

Leslie approached the two. "Give up," She warned Karen, her hands clenched into fists. "I don't wanna kill you. . ."

Karen coughed roughly, but stared up at Leslie with a stony glare. "Well, you're gonna have to if you want to stop me," She said, her voice weak but filled with determination.

Leslie's face softened, before she glared. "If that's what you want," She said, before raising her foot into the air and bringing it down upon Karen's tiny chest, eliciting a shrill shriek from the young girl.

"Leslie, no!" Annie rasped.

Nearby, Mysterion, just in the midst of taking down the Human Kite, whipped around at the sound of the scream. He caught sight of Leslie, her foot on Karen's chest, and the young girl screaming in agony. At that moment, Mysterion's emotionless eyes widened.

"K-Karen?"

* * *

"Kenny!" Karen cried as she watched her older brother collapse in pain in the middle of dinner, clutching his throbbing head. Almost immediately, she, their brother, and their parents rushed to tend to him.

"Are you alright, honey?" Carol asked, her voice filled with concern as she threw her arms around her younger son.

Kenny was breathing heavily, his nails digging into his skull hard enough to draw blood. His teeth were gnashed together, and tears were beginning to brim from his eyes. After what seemed like an eternity, he looked up to face his family.

"This isn't real."

It took a few moments for Kenny's words to register with the rest of his family. "What do you mean, son?" Stuart asked.

"This is all I've ever wanted," Kenny lamented, lowering his head. "A chance for a normal life, a happy one. But it's not real. . ." His hands clenched together into fists.

"Don't say that, Kenny," His sister told him, rubbing his back. "Of course it's real. You made it real-"

"No," Kenny said, pushing her hand away. "Even now, I can hear you, the _real _you, screaming in agony. I can hear my friends in pain, suffering. I've heard it all along, but I've neglected it just so I could have my own happy life."

He slowly got to his feet and stared into the ashen-faced expressions of his family. "I love this life, but I can't keep keep living a fantasy," He whispered. "I have responsibilities."

Karen approached him. "Kenny," She whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks as she extended a hand towards him. "Please. . . don't go. I-I love you."

Tears began to flow freely down Kenny's face. "I love you, too," Kenny whispered, each word tearing into his heart. "And that's why. . . I have to go now."

He gently took the crying Karen into his arms, rubbing her head to console her. "Don't worry," He whispered, burying his face in her hair. "I'll see you soon. . . the real you. . ."

And as he hugged her, the world around him was engulfed in white.

* * *

The Human Kite stepped backwards as he saw Mysterion collapsed to his knees before him. He wanted to approach him, but kept his distance out of a sense of cautiousness.

Slowly, Mysterion raised his head to face him, and the Human Kite saw his shocked expression morph to one of fury. He readied himself for a fight, but instead of lunging at him, Mysterion whirled around towards Leslie.

The raven-haired girl was too distracted crushing Karen under her foot that she didn't notice Mysterion lunging towards her until it was too late. The masked superhero slammed into her, throwing her off of Karen and slamming her into the wall.

"Kenny-" Leslie shouted in surprise, but was cut off by Mysterion's fist slamming into her jaw, drawing blood.

_"You do not touch my little sister!" _Mysterion snarled, punctuating each word with a vicious punch to the face. Leslie was too stunned to protect herself, only managing to raise her arms weakly in defense. Nearby, Annie, Karen, Toolshed and the Human Kite watched on in shock.

Mysterion's foot slammed into the side of Leslie's head, knocking her to the floor. The girl coughed up blood, and stared up at Mysterion, her eyes filled with horror. Her face was covered in bruises and bloody gashes.

Mysterion breathed heavily as he readied himself for the final blow. With a spinning kick, he sent Leslie flying across the attic, landing roughly in front of Annie, Karen and Kyle. She lay there, unconscious from the blow.

The kids stared down at the unconscious girl, but diverted their eyes from her as they saw Mysterion collapse to his knees, covering his face. Karen was the first to action, springing to her feet and scrambling towards her brother.

"Kenny?" She exclaimed, throwing her arms around him.

Slowly, Mysterion embraced his sister. "I'm here, Karen," He whispered, his voice weak.

"Oh, Kenny, I knew you could do it," She whispered, pressing her face into Mysterion's chest. "I knew you could break Leslie's control."

Annie's eyes widened. _So that's why she challenged Leslie, _she thought to herself. _She knew she couldn't beat her. But seeing her in danger would've been enough to snap Kenny out of her spell._

The kids were snapped out of their thoughts as the attic door burst open, and the cops, Stan's family, and the President charged into the attic. They were about to rush towards the children, but abruptly stopped in their tracks. They blinked multiple times, and their expressionless eyes slowly returned to normal.

"W-What's going on?" President Garrison asked, shaking his head. "Where the Hell am I?"

"Stanley?" Sharon said, before scooping Toolshed into a tight embrace. "Stanley!"

"Nice to see you're back, mom," Stan replied, not exactly returning the embrace.

"Stan!" Randy shouted, joining the hug, causing Stan to grumble in annoyance.

Nearby, the Human Kite collapsed onto his knees, exhausted. "Finally," He whispered.

* * *

Outside City Hall, Call Girl let out a choked gasp as she felt ManBearPig's massive paws become lifted off of her, allowing her to breath properly. As she gasped for breath, she vaguely caught sight of the massive creature lumbering off, looking almost dazed.

As her vision returned to her, Call Girl's eyes widened as she saw the townsfolk begin to drop their weapons and rub their heads, looking disoriented. As they did, they released Coon and Friends and the others.

"B-Butters?" Father Maxi asked as he dropped Professor Chaos to the ground, a horrified expression on his face.

"Father Maxi?" Professor Chaos whispered, as if for clarification. He looked the priest in the eyes, and saw that they were back to normal. Once this registered, Butters let out a relieved sob and embraced the stunned priest.

Now that he was no longer being restrained, Super Craig scrambled towards the fallen Wonder Tweek. "Tweek?!" He exclaimed, collapsing by his side and pulling him into his arms. "Are you alright?!"

Slowly, Tweek opened his eyes. "W-What's going on?" He whispered, wincing slightly, still feeling the arrow protruding from his shoulder.

Super Craig sighed and turned to face the confused mob. "Everyone seems to be back to normal, I think," He mumbled tentatively.

A distance away, hearing Craig's words, Call Girl collapsed against the tree, breathing heavily, a look of relief washing over her face. She turned towards the City Hall, where she knew her boyfriend and the others were, and realized that they had succeeded.

"You did it," She whispered heavily, almost not believing her own words. "Stan, Kyle. . . Annie. . . you guys did it. . ."

And then darkness overcame her.

* * *

_Read and review._


	32. Game On

_South Park: She's not dead._

_Playerhood18: She's not dead._

_August Rollins: Geez, I wouldn't have included that part if I thought it'd be misinterpreted so much._

_Geminidrake: Aw, thanks._

_GBond007: Let's find out._

_Guest tea: Thanks._

_I am a burglar: Uh-huh._

* * *

A half-hour later, City Hall was surrounded by police vans and ambulances. The dozens of wounded civilians were placed onto stretchers and rolled into the trucks to be taken to the hospital, including several of the Coon and Friends members.

"Don't worry, Tweek," Craig reassured his boyfriend as he was rolled into the ambulance, his shoulder bandaged up. "They're gonna have you fixed up in no time."

Tweek groaned, his shoulder aching. "I think I've had enough adventuring for one week."

Craig simply smiled and patted him on the shoulder as the two were placed into the ambulance, which soon drove off towards the hospital.

Nearby, Stan was shoving through the crowd, his eyes filled with panic. "Wendy?" He called out as he navigated his way through the crowd. "Wendy?!"

He finally found her, lying against a tree, and rushed towards her. "Wendy, thank God!" He said, dropping to his knees next to her. "I was worried that you-"

"I'm okay, Stan," Wendy reassured him, even as she clutched her aching chest. "Just got the wind knocked out of me, that's all."

"Oh, that's good," Stan muttered, before taking a seat next to her.

An awkward silence ensued before Wendy spoke up. "So, you guys beat Leslie?" She said, even though the answer was obvious.

"Well, yeah," Stan replied, rubbing the back of his head. "Wasn't really me, though; Kenny was the one who took her out. But it was really Karen who deserves all the credit; she was the one who snapped Kenny out of her spell."

"If there's anyone we should thank, it's Annie," Wendy whispered. "We never would've thought to use Karen if it weren't for her. I really never expected that from Annie of all people. . ." She trailed off, lost in thought.

After another silence, Stan said, "So, Wendy, about all that stuff in the game. . . I just wanna say I'm sorry, you know? For all the attacks."

"You don't have to apologize, Stan," Wendy replied, patting him on the shoulder. "We all got a little carried away by that game, even me."

Stan smiled softly.

A distance away, a beaten, bruised Leslie was led out of the City Hall in handcuffs. She grunted as she was shoved next to Nathan and Mimsy, similarly cuffed.

"Please, officers, you can't arrest us," Nathan pleaded. "Me and my friend are just a pair of poor, handicapped children who were being manipulated by that sociopath."

"You can explain all of that downtown," Sergeant Yates sneered, shoving the duo into the back of the police car. "Get inside."

Leslie pouted, and narrowed her eyes as Kyle approached her, his arms folded. "So much for turning everyone into your toys, huh Leslie?" He said, a triumphant smirk on his face.

"You think I can't handle juvenile detention?" Leslie threatened. "Mark my words, Kyle Broflovski, this isn't over! I'll be back, and you and your friends will pay!"

Kyle's grin merely grew. "Who said anything about juvenile detention?" He asked.

At that moment, a voice called out, "Leslie Ann Meyers!"

Leslie's skin paled, and she whipped around to see a dark-haired woman storm through the crowd and towards her. "M-Mom?" She squeaked, her blood running cold.

"What have I told you about trying to take over the world?!" Mrs. Meyers shouted as she grabbed her daughter by the collar.

"N-No, mom, y-you don't understand-" Leslie sputtered, but was cut off as she was yanked away by her enraged mother.

"You and I going to be having a serious talk once we get home, young lady!" Mrs. Meyers shouted as she dragged the struggling Leslie through the crowd. "Just wait until your father hears about this! What kind of example are you setting for your baby sister?!"

As Kyle watched the kicking and screaming Leslie get dragged away, he caught sight of Kenny, standing next to Karen and Annie by one of the police vans. His hood was off, and there was a forlorn expression on his face.

Frowning, Kyle slowly approached his friend. "You doing okay, Kenny?" He asked.

Kenny let out a deep sigh before responding. "It's nothing, I just. . . I really thought I had a chance to start over, to have a better life. When I woke up in that new house, with all those new clothes, surrounded by a happy family, it was the best day of my life. I never wanted to leave it. And yet. . . I had to." As he spoke, his shoulders slumped and he hung his head in defeat. Both Annie and Karen patted him in an attempt to comfort him.

"It was stupid," Kenny muttered, rubbing his arm. "I should've known an online game couldn't magically make my family not poor. I was just so desperate for a better life that I. . ."

"It's not your fault, Kenny," Annie consoled, rubbing his back. "It's not your responsibility to make sure your family isn't poor. That's on your parents."

"I guess so," Kenny murmured, though he didn't sound all that convinced.

Before they could talk further, three people shoved their way through the crowd and towards the kids. It was Stuart, Carol and Kevin.

"Kenny?" Carol said, before rushing forward and scooping him up into her arms. "Kenny! Baby, you're okay!"

"Speak of the Devil," Annie muttered, rolling her eyes.

As Carol set Kenny down, Stuart stepped forward, rubbing the back of his head. "So, uh, it's been an interesting night," He said awkwardly. "Got in a fight with the police, may have been thrown in jail for a few hours. Ain't been the first time that's happened." He chuckled softly, but it tapered off as he noticed his son, along with Annie and even Karen, glaring at him.

"Mr. McCormick," Annie said, placing her hands on her hips. "For the past few days, your son has moved Heaven and Earth to clean up your mess. He entered that online game because he wanted to make a better life for his sister, and for you. But it's not his responsible to make sure his family isn't poor; it's yours."

Stuart gulped. "Y-Yeah, I guess so, but. . ." He stopped when Annie hardened her glare at him.

Eventually, he hung his head. "You're right," He said, before turning to his wife. "Carol, it's time we started over."

Kneeling down so he was eye-level with his son and daughter, Stuart said, "Kenny, Karen, I know I've never been the best father, but don't doubt that I love you. I'm gonna. . . try to get this whole drinking thing under control, and perhaps. . . get a job, too."

Kenny's jaw dropped, and he turned to face Karen, who wore an identical expression on her face. "Woohoo!" He said eventually, picking up Karen and spinning her around in joy. Annie smiled.

Nearby, Eric Cartman slowly exited the City Hall building, his head hanging low. Noticing him, Kyle rushed over to him, saying, "Hey, Cartman, how ya doing?"

"Oh, hey Kyle," Cartman replied, a dejected tone in his voice.

"You don't look so happy," Kyle said, a hint of concern in his voice. "What's wrong?"

Cartman sighed. "Well, it's just. . . Leslie was right," Cartman muttered, sitting down. "I became a Grand Wizard, got all these awesome powers, became ruler of a badass army. . . and I still lost. I lost to you, I lost to Leslie, and I didn't even get the key, which turned out to be a phony, anyways. She was right; I am a loser."

Kyle, wearing a blank expression on his face, patted Cartman on the shoulder. "Don't take it so hard, Cartman," He said. "If this journey proved anything, it's that we were all kinda losers. We were all so obsessed with beating each other and winning that fake prize, when what we should've been doing was having fun."

Cartman looked up to stare at Kyle. "You know, for once, you may actually have a point," He pointed out.

"I mean, these past few days, we've had adventures, sword-fighting and sorcery," Kyle said. "That's pretty badass. Who cares if we got a stupid key; that was pretty fucking fun!"

"Yeah, you're right, Kyle!" Cartman replied, standing up. "Who cares about some stupid prize at the end? That game was its own reward!"

"Yeah!" Kyle agreed. "And you know what, Cartman?"

"What?" Cartman asked.

Kyle grinned. "Who says it has to end?"

* * *

_**One Week Later**_

"What news do you bring us, Paladin Butters?" Kyle of the Drow Elves asked as the young paladin arrived in the heart of the Elven Sanctuary, in Kyle's backyard.

"The Goth Kids have taken control of the west part of town, my lord," Paladin Butters replied. "I hear they are making plans to conquer the east side next, the domain of Dwarf King Clyde."

"Excellent news, Paladin," The Elf King replied. Turning to his subjects, he said, "Any suggestions for how we should proceed?"

In the fields, Shieldmaiden Wendy nudged Annie forward, saying, "I believe she has some advice."

"Speak, Warrior Annie," Kyle of the Drow Elves commanded.

Taking the time to clear her throat, Annie said, "I suggest we let the Goths and the Dwarfs battle it out. Once both sides and tired from the fighting, we shall swoop in and conquer them both in one fell swoop!"

"Good idea, Annie!" Blood Elf Bebe commended, and the rest of the kids clapped.

"However, that may have to wait, my lord," Paladin Butters warned. "A challenger has arrived."

Kyle of the Drow Elves exchanged glances with Stan the Great, before stepping up from his throne. "Assemble the troops!" He commanded his subjects, before marching from the backyard into his house, followed by Stan and the rest of his followers.

Inside the kitchen, washing the dishes, Sheila called out, "You boys having fun?"

"More than ever, mom!" Kyle replied, before pushing through the door of his house and stepping outside onto the streets.

"Who challenges Kyle of the Drow Elves?!" He bellowed out, raising his magic staff high as he turned around to face his challenger.

A long distance away on the streets, flanked by a contingent of elves, stood Elven King Bradley. "It is I!" He challenged, raising his sword high in the air for all to see. "I have conquered all who stand in my way! I bathe in the tears of my enemies! Come, so-named Elf King, and let us decide who is the true ruler of the elves!" Behind him, his army of rogue elves brandished their blades and raised them alongside their king.

Kyle of the Drow Elves merely smirked, before turning around to face his own followers. "Arise, my valiant army!" He said, swinging his staff in the air. "Let us show this supposed conqueror who the true masters are!"

Slowly but surely, an army of elves and warriors marched out of their houses, standing with their king. A dozen armored war machines rolled down the streets; the head one, manned by Scott Malkinson, had none other than Eric Cartman strapped to the front of it.

"Ey!" He shouted at Kyle. "I did not consent to this!"

"Are you ready, my army?" Kyle of the Drow Elves asked the other elves, ignoring Cartman's complaining.

Standing side-by-side, Stan the Great and Shieldmaiden Wendy exchanged loving glances, before pulling out their blades and raising them high. "Ready!"

Holding hands, Dark Mage Craig and Robin Tweek nodded towards each other before facing the enemy. "Ready!"

Manning one of the war machines, the Amazingly Randy and Medicine Woman Sharon smirked at each other. "Ready!"

At the forefront, Annie turned towards Princess Kenny; on his shoulders was none other than Karen, dressed as an elf and holding a wooden sword. All three grinned at each other, before turning to face the rogue elves.

"Ready," They said in unison.

Kyle of the Drow Elves smirked, then turned to face his opponent.

"Game on," He whispered.

And with that, they all charged forward.

* * *

_**The End**_


End file.
